If the Dead could Gossip in Limbo
by JelloDVDs
Summary: If Nearly-Headless-Nick choose to be a ghost and Sirius choose to 'go on' then where and how did they do this? This story is about all the dead characters in Harry Potter and how they interact in Limbo or the place between life and what comes next.
1. Ch1: Grief and Hope

**So sorry this took me so much longer to get out than I originally thought. My chirstmas got hectic, my sister got busy and couldn't finish the editing in time and then to top it all off I got sick!  
****But here you are! 80,000 words (ignore ff they count wrong) of Limbo! ^_^ There may still be some errors so don't expect perfection. My sister is not a proffesional editer. All the chapters have some slight additions and edits but the two chapters with the missed deaths are chapters two and three. The Epilouge is totally new as well. :) If there are some error in formatting or just typos that you notice please feel free to private message me and I will fix them. Since I have totally reuploaded everything there may be some format stuff I missed.  
And as always I LOVE reviews so please leave me one. :)**

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**Chapter One: Grief and Hope**

James knew he was dead, but where was he now? He looked down at his hands; they were white and cloud like, but they felt solid. He looked around and saw he was standing on a flat, white surface. He could not see an end in any direction. It was like that flat, white surface went on forever in every direction.

"If I am dead," James thought, "then is this the afterlife?"

He did not feel any different, but he didn't used to be made of cloud.

"I know that look," came a voice from behind James, "you are quite dead and this is not the afterlife. This is Limbo."

James turned around to face the unknown voice and found that it was not unknown at all.

"You were in the prophet just last week," said James unsure as to what was going on, "they said that you were killed by Voldemort himself."

"The prophet is quite right," said the wizard, "and please don't use the name."

"If we are as dead as you say we are, then what does it matter?"

"Old habits die hard I guess," said the wizard.

James nodded and added, "What do you mean 'This is Limbo'?"

"I mean that though we are quite dead this is not the after-life," said the wizard, "this is not our final destination. You have three choices—"

But both men forgot what they were talking about as a woman appeared out of nowhere beside James.

"Lily?"

"James," Lily said, flustered, "but I saw...you were...oh."

Realization hit Lily as she stared at James.

"So were both dead then," James said, no question in his voice.

"Yes," said the wizard, "yes we are all quite dead, but as I was saying—"

Lily had started to sob so hard that neither her husband nor the little wizard could tell what she was saying. The only word they were able to decipher was 'Harry.'

"What happened?" James said as he put an arm around her.

"I pleaded with him. Begged him to take me instead, but he only laughed," Lily half sobbed into her hands.

Lily was crying harder than ever now. James had his arm around her. He was rubbing his hand up and down her arm in an effort to calm her.

"Then I tried to shield Harry with my body, but he pointed his wand at me and...and..."

"Now you're here," James finished her sentence for her.

"As touching as this all is," said the wizard, impatience in his voice, "I am only here to inform you of your choices, and since I am sick of here I would like to get it over with."

"But you're dead," Lily said, looking up at him though glassy eyes, "Where could you possibly have to go?"

"That was what I was trying to tell this guy," the wizard said, jerking his head in James's direction, "when you showed up."

"Now you have three options," said the wizard, looking straight at them to make sure they were listening, "One: to forget about learning what lies beyond life and return to the earth as a ghost. Two: you may remain here to wait for news of your loved ones from the next person who dies, though I would like to add that this place gets very boring very fast. Or Three: you can go on."

"But once we've chosen, how do we do each of those things?" asked Lily.

"The act of choosing will do that," said the wizard, "Once you have no doubts in your mind as to what you want to do, it will just happen. However, no matter how much you want to leave this place, you cannot until you have passed on the instruction I have just given you to at least one person. This means that at least one person will remain in Limbo at all times."

Having finished delivering his message, the wizard turned his back on them to leave.

"Wait," cried Lily, "Do non-magical people come here too?"

The wizard turned to address Lily's question.

"Maybe," he said, "If their soul has any inclination towards wizards."

And with that he turned from them again and vanished though a door that neither James nor Lily could see, for they had not yet decided what they wanted to do.

James looked down at his tear-stained wife's face and realized that neither of them would be able to leave without knowing the fate of their only child.

"Let's wait for news of Harry," he said and Lily nodded.

While Lily and James waited for news, they went over and over the night of their murder. They soon realized that Voldemort's actions showed his true goal was Harry. They wondered with increased awe how he had survived the attack that had killed them. They didn't want him to be here, for they did not want him to die, but they longed to see him again and could not see how he would survive if Voldemort was after him.

They did not have long to wait; less than a fortnight later, someone died.

"Oh my God," squeaked an aged witch the moment she had appeared, "You're Lily and James Potter!"

"Yeah, and who are you?" said James.

"I am Sophie Abbot," said the witch, "and I know all about you of course. I've seen your statue."

"Statue?" asked Lily.

"Well, of course," Sophie cried as she threw her arms up in the air, "You wouldn't know. Your son vanquished You-Know-Who!"

"What?" Lily and James said together.

"Yeah, the curse that killed both of you failed to kill him. The curse rebounded upon the Dark Lord. And no one's seen or heard from him since!"

"I feel weak in the knees," Lily said and sat on the floor; there were no chairs here.

"I reckon your son's the most famous wizard ever to exist," Sophie said, and then added, "Wait a minute. You two are both dead. Where are we?"

Since Lily was still sitting on the floor, James recounted the choices that they had been given by the wizard when they had first arrived.

"Well, that's ruddy marvellous," were the first words out of Sophie's mouth, "I was worried that there might not be an afterlife at all. But it turns out I've got choices."

And with that Sophie turned away from them and vanished.

Over the next ten years many people came and went as Lily and James waited for more news. Though many people were just as excited to see the Potters as Sophie Abbot had been, and all of them were eager to talk about The Boy Who Lived, Lily and James did not get much more information from them than they had from Sophie Abbot.

They did, however, learn that the entire wizarding world believed that Sirius Black had betrayed their whereabouts to Voldemort. They of course knew that it had been Peter Pettigrew.

They felt horribly sorry for their friend, now locked in Azkaban, and wished that the truth was known. They knew that if he was considered a criminal he would never be allowed to be a surrogate father to Harry, but they wished he could be.

People coming and going were astonished to find out that Lily and James thought Sirius Black innocent. They tried to convince the Potters that Sirius was guilty, and many of them believed the Potters to be in denial. Lily and James never wavered in their story however.

When a witch named Kelley, who loved gossip, died they learned that Harry was living with Petunia's family. They were worried about how Harry would be treated by his aunt and uncle and wondered, since the entire wizarding world seemed to know their son's name, why one of them hadn't taken Harry in.

They learned very little about who their son had grown into, until the end of his first year at Hogwarts.

"W-who's t-t-there," came a quivering voice.

"Us," said Lily and James together.

The scared looking man saw their faces and screamed. He ran away from them as though he thought they were going to kill him. This reaction above anything else told Lily and James this man did not yet realize he was dead.

"We are not going to hurt you!" roared Lily as she ran after the newcomer.

"Of c-course you a-are," the man stuttered back at them as he ran.

"We can't hurt you," James roared in outrage at his completely pointless reaction. "We're all dead."

The man stopped.

"W-what?"

He turned around, all thoughts of fear forgotten.

"We are all dead," James repeated, "and we will tell you what your choices are once you tell us why you ran from us, and anything you know about our son, Harry Potter."

"I-I—"

"Why did you run from us?" Lily almost shrieked. After ten long years, she was desperate to hear news of her son.

Lily and James hadn't felt the last ten years pass like they would have on earth, but they still knew it had been a while.

The man looked too stunned to speak.

"What is your name?" James asked.

"Quirrell," the man said, "Professor Quirrell."

"So you taught at Hogwarts?" James asked.

Quirrell nodded.

Lily repeated her earlier question without shrieking, and this time received a response.

Quirrell could not face Lily or James; instead he spoke to his knees.

"I was s-scared that you kn-knew what I had t-tried to do t-to your son."

"And what exactly was that?" Lily said quite calmly, though the rage was written plainly across her face.

"I tried to k-k-kill him."

Lily and James looked at each other and then in unison glared at Quirrell with such power that Quirrell made to run from them again.

"That is no use," James said to Quirrell, "running will do you no good."

Quirrell just kept running. James wasn't even sure if Quirrell had heard him.

"This is pointless," James said and stopped running. He gestured for Lily to stop too.

They both stood there for a moment and then after a few seconds Quirrell ran right into them. James and Lily turned around to face Quirrell and said as one, "What did you do to our son?"

Quirrell just stammered incoherently.

"We can't hurt you because you are already dead. You can't leave here till we tell you how to do it," said James, "and we are not going to tell you anything—"

"Until you tell us everything!" Lily finished her husband's threat with even more hatred in her beautiful voice.

It took Lily and James quite a while to get the whole story out of Quirrell, because of his constant stuttering and his continued attempts to escape, but in the end they knew just as much about their son as Quirrell did.

They knew how well he was doing in his lessons. They knew that he had already made an enemy of Snape. They knew that he had made two wonderful friends, and most importantly they knew that he was good.

He had resisted Voldemort yet again and he had not only survived but stopped Voldemort from gaining more power. They were prouder of him than they could have thought possible.

Once they were sure that Quirrell had told them everything he knew, they gave him his options and he vanished without another word.

"I think he just did it to get away from us," James said gruffly. He had not liked Quirrell in the slightest and was very glad to be rid of him.

They learned very little in the next two years, though they did learn, from an old wizard with a walking stick, that Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban. The wizard almost fell over from shock when he saw the looks of happiness on the Potters' faces and was even more shocked to hear that Sirius's supposed victims believed him to be innocent.

"If anyone could figure out how to break out of Azkaban," James said, half laughing, "it would be Sirius."

"What?" squawked the old wizard, dropping his walking stick, "but I thought you would have been upset. He did betray you after all."

"Nah, he didn't," said James, "it's the wizarding world that's betrayed him. I heard that he didn't even get a trial before they sent him off to Azkaban."

"Yeah, that's right," said the wizard, bending over to pick up his walking stick. He sounded dazed.

James and Lily recounted their tale of how their Secret-Keeper had been changed. Then they gave the wizard his choices and he vanished, looking one last time at the Potters as though questioning their sanity.


	2. Ch2: Repair and Confusion

**Chapter Two: Repair and Confusion**

A year later a witch appeared before them. She seemed perfectly normal at first.

"Hello," Lily said kindly, "my name is Lily and this is my husband James. Who are you?"

"Bertha Jorkins."

"Do you know why you are here?"

"Where is here?" Bertha said in a very dazed way. She was spinning around, looking at all the clouds with child-like interest.

"This is Limbo," said James.

"Limbo, Limmmbooow," said Bertha. She stopped spinning and stared at her hand.

She seemed amazed not only to find it made of cloud, but also that it was there at all.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked.

Bertha stared at her for a while and then went back to looking at her hand.

Lily and James left Bertha to stare and went a little ways away to talk.

"What is wrong with her?" Lily asked.

"I think she has had her memory messed with," answered James.

"How could you possibly know that?" Lily asked.

"The last time I saw someone looking like that it was in the magical brain-damage section of St Mungo's," James said.

"Oh," Lily said. "Well, then you would think dying would have cured her. Maybe you appear here the same way you were when you died, but if you go on you get better?"

"I don't know. We don't even know what happens once you move on."

James and Lily were so wrapped up in their conversation that they didn't notice Bertha come over to them.

"Why is my hand made of cloud?" Bertha said.

Both Lily and James jumped.

"The last thing I remember clearly," Bertha continued, "is bumping into a dead man while on holiday."

At this, Lily and James looked at each other and knew that Bertha was nuts.

"It's okay, Bertha," Lily said in a consoling voice.

"How is it okay?" Bertha said in a much more composed voice than she had had only moments ago, "I have no idea where I am. You two are supposed to be dead. We all seem to be made of cloud. And the last thing I seem to be able to remember is Peter Pettigrew telling me to follow him, and since he is supposed to be dead I really don't see how any of this is 'okay.'"

At this, Lily and James just stared. They had just seen Bertha go from totally nuts to perfectly coherent in the space of about five seconds. James came to himself before Lily.

"Sorry, Bertha," James said, "but up until just now you were kind of messed up in the head. You were acting like you had some kind of memory spell put on you."

"Oh," said Bertha in a small voice.

"What do you think happened to you?"

"I don't—" Bertha started to say when her face lit up and she said, "Wait a minute, I think I remember seeing something I shouldn't have. It was something to do with Crouch and why his son is alive even though everyone believes he died in Azkaban."

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked.

So Bertha went on to explain everything she could remember to the Potters. Bertha found that the more she answered the Potters' questions the more she remembered what had happened to her.

The problem was that the more she remembered the more she wished she hadn't, because being tortured by Lord Voldemort is not something one wants to remember.

"I am so sorry," Lily said to Bertha after she had finished her story.

"Thank you," Bertha said.

"So what do you think Voldemort is planning to do with the information you gave him?" James asked. Bertha flinched at the name, but James and Lily took no notice.

"I don't know," Bertha said, "and I don't see what he could really do with it. I mean besides break out Crouch Jr. and get his servant back. Why would he care that the Triwizard Tournament is taking place at Hogwarts this year?"

"Harry goes to Hogwarts," Lily said in a small voice.

"Yeah, but he won't be allowed to partake in the games 'cause of the new age restrictions," James said.

"James," Lily said in an exasperated voice, "this is Lord Voldemort we are talking about. Do you really think he couldn't find a way to get Harry into the games if he wanted? Especially now that he has his most faithful servant back."

"Right," said James.

Lily didn't say anything else about Harry for she knew that if she did she would cry. She just turned to face her husband, and he could tell from her face that it was time to give Bertha her three choices.

Upon hearing her choices Bertha looked both sad and relieved.

"So I don't have to stay here then," she said.

James and Lily both nodded.

"Wait, you two died over twelve years ago. Have you been here all this time?"

"Yes," Lily said, while James nodded.

"You must love your son very much," Bertha said, "I hope you get to find out what happens to him."

And with that Bertha Jorkins vanished.

Not too long after Bertha Jorkins vanished someone else appeared before them.

"Who are you people?" asked a voice from behind the Potters, and they turned to see an old man with a walking stick staring at them and looking very confused.

"Lily and…"

"James Potter," finished James, "and you are?"

"Frank Bryce," said Frank, "why do you both look like you're made of cloud?"

"Right back at you," said James.

At James' words Frank looked down at himself and swore loudly.

"What am I? Why am I here?" asked Frank, "Where is here? The last thing I remember was listening to two criminals plot the murder of a boy called Harry Potter. Then one of them pointed a stick of wood at me. There was a flash of green light and then here I am talking to you people."

Lily and James had not heard a word the man had said since their son's name.

"But that's our son," Lily cried.

"It is?" said Frank, looking puzzled.

"Yes, it is," said James, "would you please tell us everything you heard, in detail."

Frank recounted everything that he could remember for the nice people he did not know, though from their reactions he did believe that this Harry Potter person was their son.

"So Voldemort is planning to use Harry," Lily said, very quietly.

"And by the look of things he has a body now, too," said James in a pained voice, "otherwise how would he have held the wand."

"But we already knew he had a body, James," Lily said, "Bertha told us."

"No, she said that she thought he had a body. She couldn't remember if it was Voldemort's body or just Peter being used my Voldemort."

"But who is this Voldemort person and why is he trying to kill your son? And why did he kill me? How did he kill me?" Frank said, still looking completely confused by the conversation his information had ignited.

James tried to explain about wands, wizards and Voldemort, but he didn't get very far before Frank said "That is just kids' stories. Tell me the truth."

"I am telling you the truth," James said in anger, but with one touch on his arm from Lily he relaxed and said, "It doesn't matter anyway."

"But it does matter, James," Lily said, "I mean think about it. Frank is the first Muggle we have seen and we have been here for twelve years. There have to have been other Muggle deaths since then, so why is Frank the first one we have seen?"

"I didn't think about it like that," said James, while Frank was still looking at them like they were crazy, "Wait a minute, remember what that wizard said twelve years ago when you asked him if Muggles came here?"

"Yes," Lily said with excitement, "he said Muggles whose souls had an inclination toward wizards might come here."

"But Frank doesn't seem to know anything about wizards," James said.

"But, James, think about it; he was killed by a wizard."

"Oh," said James with a look of understanding on his face that thoroughly annoyed Frank, "you mean that all Muggles who are killed by wizards will end up here."

"I think so," Lily said, "I mean nothing else makes sense."

"Imagine what Voldemort would say if he found out killing Muggles brings them to our afterlife," James said, laughing, "I think that would really piss him off."

By now Frank was tired of being treated like he knew nothing and decided to say something.

"Alright, you people," Frank said with defiance, "I am sick and tired of being treated like a child. I am older than you after all and would like to know what the hell you are talking about."

"If you didn't believe us then you aren't going to believe us now, Frank," Lily said kindly, having just realized that in all the excitement she had entirely forgotten about Frank.

"Come on, there has got to be something other than magic going on here. I mean my hands are made of cloud."

"This is not magic Frank," James said, "Magic is what killed you. If you had just let me explain earlier…you are dead because the most evil dark wizard that has ever existed killed you for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It isn't right and it certainly isn't fair, but it is still what happened."

It took Frank a while to really come to terms with that, but in the end he said, "So what happens now?"

"Well, you have three choices," Lily started to say when James cut her off.

"Actually, you have two choices," James said, "only wizards can become ghosts."

"Oh, right," Lily said, "so your two choices are to stay here or to go on and see what lies after death."

"Once I have chosen what do I do?"

"Just choose. Once you have no doubts in your mind of what you want to do, you will do that."

"Huh," said Frank, "And you say this isn't magic then. I don't even want to know what magic you were talking about."

This made both Lily and James laugh and once they started Frank joined in. He still didn't really know what was going on, but if he really was dead then what did it matter anyway.

It wasn't long after they all stopped laughing that Frank saw a door.

"Do you see that?" he said.

"No," Lily said, "What do you see?"

"A door," Frank said.

"Then you have made the decision to go on," James said.

As Frank was walking towards the door, he turned to face Lily and James again.

"Why are you here?" he said, "Why don't you go on too?"

"We are here waiting for news of our son," Lily said.

"We don't want to go on until we know what happened to him," James said.

"Oh," said Frank, "I hope you find what you are looking for." And with that he went through the door and vanished.

"So another game of eye-spy cloud shapes," James said, "Or do you wanna talk about nothing some more?"

It had been a while since Frank had left, though neither James nor Lily knew how long exactly. What they did know was that they were out of things to do.

"I will take neither," Lily sighed.

"I know it sucks, love," James said. "But would you rather just go on?"

Lily sighed again. "No," she said.

"Then pick your poison."

Before Lily could answer, they heard a frantic voice behind them. Whoever it was talked very fast but made no sense.

"Oh!" Lily said as she turned around. There was a man standing behind them, looking crazed.

"Needs to be on my desk by nine, Weatherby," the man said. "And the meeting starts at ten."

The man changed his tune and added in a fast but serious voice, "Must see Dumbledore! Now, Potter!"

"What did he say!" Lily gasped.

The man suddenly noticed them.

"You!" he said franticly. "Must! Tell! Dumbledore!"

Then he switched again and started talking to the air next to them.

"And bring me a cup of tea, would you, Weatherby," he said.

And then he switched back. "All my fault!" he cried. "My fault! Mine!"

Then, while Lily and James stood staring at him, he suddenly was neither of the people he had been.

"What was that!" he said, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"What was what?" Lily asked tentatively.

"I," the man said, "I don't know." He pondered this for a moment before seeming to come to his senses. He looked up at them again.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Right back at you!" James said.

"I am Bartemius Crouch," Crouch said, "Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Now who are you?"

"James and Lily Potter," James said.

Crouch seemed to take a while to digest this.

"You are dead," he said.

"Yes, we are," Lily said gently. "But unfortunately this means—"

"I am dead too," Crouch said.

Lily nodded. Crouch sighed and made to sit down.

"There are no chairs here," he observed and sat on the ground.

Lily and James sat down next to him.

"Why were you talking like a crazy person before?" James asked.

"I was fighting the Imperius curse," Crouch said. "But I guess it dissipates pretty fast after you die." He sighed again.

Lily put a hand on his shoulder consolingly.

"Could you please tell us what you know of our son?" Lily asked kindly.

Crouch looked confused.

"Why?" he asked.

"We are here waiting for news of him," Lily said.

To Crouch Lily's words might as well have been a foreign language, but since he spoke so many languages even that doesn't cover it. This is a man who never took the time to get to know his own son and was even killed by his son though he didn't know it.

"Waiting," Crouch said. "So there is something next then?"

"Yes, you have three choices," Lily said. "But could you please tell us first what you know of Ha—"

"Oh, all right, fine!" Crouch said, somewhat annoyed. "I met him just this year. He got into the Triwizard Tournament, though I know not how, and he was still in school as far as I know." Crouch stopped and waited for them to answer his question now.

"That's it?" Lily said after a moment.

"Yeah," Crouch said. "Didn't really know him well, did I?"

"Okay," Lily said tentatively. "Well, your three choices are stay here, be a ghost, or go on."

"Huh," Crouch said.

"Do you remember how you died?" James asked, while Crouch seemed to be thinking.

"No," Crouch said firmly.

"Are you sure?" James pressed.

"I said no, Boy!" Crouch said.

"'Cause you were talking crazy when you arrived," James said. "You mentioned someone called Weatherby."

"Ah yes, Weatherby," Crouch said. "He was my assistant."

Crouch had more affection in his voice for his assistant than for anything else as far as James was concerned. He didn't like this man one bit.

"Yes, I think I shall go on," Crouch said, after a few more moments of silent thought. "It seems like the most prudent choice. Goodbye now."

And he vanished.

"Crouch, huh," James said. "More like Grouch." Lily laughed.


	3. Ch3: Early Ends and Strange Adventures

**Chapter Three: Early Ends and Strange Adventures**

Many boring games later a boy appeared before the Potters. For a moment both of them were scared that it was Harry, but they soon realized he was too grown-up to be Harry. The boy before them seemed to be in his late teens while Harry should be about fourteen, according to the time the last visitor to Limbo had given them.

The boy had a very confused look on his face and was sitting on the ground.

"Hello," Lily said kindly to the boy, "My name is Lily Potter. What is yours?"

"Cedric." the boy said, "Cedric Diggory."

"You mean Amos's son?"

Diggory nodded; then looked even more confused.

"And you are Harry's parents, right? But you're dead?" he said.

"Yes, we have been dead for a while now, and I am very sorry, Cedric, but if you are here then you are dead too," James said.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Lily asked.

"Harry and I had just won the Triwizard Tournament by being the first to reach the cup, but when we touched the cup it took us to a graveyard, and then there was a flash of green light and I was here."

"What," James said, "How could you both win together? And how could Harry be in the Tournament at all? He is too young."

"What do you mean graveyard? Was the cup a portkey?" Lily said.

Cedric looked overwhelmed.

"Could you please start from the beginning," James said.

"Then will you tell me everything?" Cedric asked.

"Of course," Lily said.

"Okay," Cedric said.

And he summarized quickly everything that had happened since Harry's name had come out of the Goblet of Fire.

"So that means Harry is still with whomever it is that killed you," James said in a small voice.

Cedric nodded. Lily cried.

"But he may not be killed," Cedric said, not wanting them to be upset, "Harry is good at surviving You-Know-Who's attacks. They don't call him 'The Boy Who Lived' for nothing, you know."

"Either way we will find out soon enough," James said.

There was a long pause in which James and Lily were too anxious to explain anything to Cedric and Cedric was too polite to ask them anything. It was in this way that Cedric vanished.

"Where did he go?" James said.

"He can't have gone on," Lily said, "We haven't given him his choices yet. And there is no cure for the Avada Kedavra curse," she added.

"I don't know where he could have gone. I mean—" James suddenly stopped talking. Lily turned around to ask him why he had stopped speaking, but he wasn't there.

"James," Lily cried, "JAMES!" But there was no reply.

She did not have long to wait, for only moments after James vanished, she felt as though she was being pulled downward by invisible rope. She couldn't see or hear anything, but it felt like she was surrounded by something rough.

She felt her head pushed out of something made of wood and saw a bright, circular dome. And suddenly she knew everything.

She knew where Cedric and James had gone. She knew that she would be seeing her son for the first time in thirteen years. She knew that he was in terrible danger and she knew how to get him out of it.

She pulled herself all the way out of the wood, fell to the ground and stood up. Across from her, she could see Harry struggling to hold onto a wand that was connected to Voldemort's by a golden thread. She could see Frank Bryce, Cedric Diggory and James all standing around Harry. Giving him words of encouragement.

She ran over to him and told him what she knew she needed to tell him in order to save his life. She told him what to do once the strand was broken. She told him when to break it and that the ghost-like figures they had now become would stick around for a while to distract Voldemort once the strand was broken.

As soon as Harry broke the thread and started running all the other ghost-like figures swarmed Voldemort and blocked his view. But they didn't linger long. Within a few minutes they all felt that same upward pull of invisible rope and vanished.

The next thing Lily, James or Cedric knew they were back in Limbo.

"You know what?" James said, "I think I prefer cloud to vapour. It feels more solid or maybe I am just used to it."

"I know what happened now," Cedric said, "I was killed by Peter 'cause Voldemort wanted Harry and not me. This is the place people go when they die to make the decision of what they want to do next. There are three choices."

"How do you know all that?" Lily asked.

"It came to me when I came out of the wand," Cedric said.

"Me too," said James, then when everyone opened their mouths to say that if he didn't know he had been in Limbo all these years where did he think he was, James added, "I know all that stuff of course, but I just suddenly knew that I would see Harry and that he was in trouble and Lily would be the one to tell him how to get out of it."

"That's weird," Lily said, "'cause I knew all that and how to get him out of that graveyard and back to Hogwarts."

"What is that called?" Cedric asked, "When wands do that."

"Priori Incantatem," James said, "It is what happens when brother wands, which are two wands whose core elements are from the same animal, are forced to fight against one another."

"That means that Harry must have the same wand core as Voldemort," Lily said.

"Yeah," James said, "and this means that Harry fought. He knew he had no hope of rescue, or escape, but he fought anyway!"

"Yeah," Cedric said, "he is very brave."

"Were you friends with him?" Lily asked Cedric.

In his summary of the past year Cedric had glossed over the details and just focused on the main events.

"Sort of," Cedric said, "We were competing against each other, but we also helped each other. He told me what the first task was when he found out that I was the only champion who didn't know. And then I told him where he should go to hear the clue for the second task."

"So you were competing honourably," James said.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Cedric said.

Before anyone had time to say anything else, Lily ran up to Cedric and gave him a hug.

"Thank you," she said, "for helping Harry."

"I really don't think I am the one you should be thanking," Cedric said, "I didn't do very much. In fact if I had just taken the cup by myself, Harry wouldn't have been in trouble in the first place."

"There is no way you could have known what would happen," Lily said kindly, "and anyway, Harry is fine now and I got to see him!"

"Yeah," James said, "so don't beat yourself up about it."

"So what do you want to do, Cedric," Lily asked, after a moment.

"I am not sure," Cedric said, "I know I want to go on eventually, but I don't think I want to go on yet. Didn't you guys die thirteen years ago? Have you been here all this time?"

"Has it been thirteen years?" James said, "Blimey." He sounded a little shocked.

There was no way to measure time in Limbo.

"Yes, we have," Lily said, "we wanted to know what happened to Harry."

"Then I think I will stay here with you and keep you company," Cedric said, "since you have been so nice to me, and I bet after thirteen years of only each other for company you are getting rather bored."

"You can say that again," James said, and then added after a look from his wife, "Not that you aren't great company, dear, but after thirteen years..."

"It can all get to be a bit much," Lily said, amending her look to one of understanding and not annoyance.

"Exactly," James said, relieved.

"Wow, you guys really are married, aren't you?" Cedric said, half laughing, "I think hanging out here with you will be fun."

"So what do you guys do for fun around here?" Cedric asked, after a moment.

"Nothing," Lily said.

Cedric looked crestfallen. "You must do something!"

"Eye-spy cloud shapes," Lily said. "Talk about nothing. Wait for people to die."

Before Cedric could answer they all heard a horrible sound. It was almost like speech, but it was so forced and unrecognizable they couldn't make it out.

"Oh!" Lily said as she turned around to find a man standing behind her.

"Gurrjel," the man said again with great effort.

"What's wrong with him?" Cedric asked.

"I don't know," Lily said.

Suddenly the man's eyes snapped into focus.

"I can talk!" he said as if to prove it to himself.

"Great!" Lily said, relieved. "I am Lily. This is James and Cedric." She smiled.

"Bode," he said. "Broderick Bode, Unspeakable."

"Wow," Cedric said, knowing the mystery surrounding the Unspeakables at the Ministry.

"Yes, quite," Bode said, used to this sort of thing. "Now could either of you point me in the direction of—" he glanced around and added in a confused tone "anywhere but here?"

"No, we can't," James said, simply and sadly.

"Because there isn't a here," Cedric said. "This is Limbo."

"Never heard of it," Bode said.

"That's because no living person has ever or will ever be here," Lily said.

"Oh," Bode said. "Right, so I am dead then." He sighed. "Well, I should have guessed. It comes with the job you know."

"What exactly is your job anyway?" Cedric asked tentatively.

"Was my job," Bode said and then, not answering the question, added "So what now?"

Cedric sighed; he hadn't really expected Bode to tell him anyway.

"You have three choices," Lily said. "But first I would like to ask you if you know anything about my son, Harry Potter?"

"Oh, so you are that Lily," Bode said. "Very well then."

After Bode had answered all of Lily's questions, she gave him his choices and he went on without a second thought.


	4. Ch4: Denial and Friendship

**Chapter Four: Denial and Friendship**

Over the next year, there were not as many deaths as the Potters would have expected, now that Voldemort had returned to power. They were expecting the volume of deaths that there had been during Voldemort's last reign of terror.

What they got was the occasional witch or wizard that didn't know anything about Voldemort being back or about Harry's involvement in this return.

"I don't know what you are talking about," a simpering witch said, "You- Know-Who is not back. The Ministry of Magic says it is just Dumbledore making trouble."

"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard," James said.

"I think the Ministry is lying to you," Cedric said.

"Oh and what would you know about it, boy," the witch yelled, "and what are you doing here, anyway? You are far too young."

"I was killed by Voldemort's servant on the very night that he rose to power," Cedric said, while the witch shivered at the name.

Cedric had never said Voldemort's name when he was alive, but since he had spent so much time with the Potters, he had realized that it really didn't matter one way or the other.

"That is quite preposterous, boy," the witch said, "you must be misinformed."

"I am not," Cedric said defiantly.

"Huh," was all the witch had to say.

"Just give her her choices, Cedric," Lily said, "she is never going to believe you."

So Cedric told the very stubborn witch what her three choices were and she vanished in a puff of smoke.

"That's different," James said, "They have never vanished in smoke before."

"Maybe she decided to be a ghost," Lily said, "We have never seen someone decide to do that."

"Man," James said, "I would not have picked her to be forever walking the earth. I wonder why she chose to do that?"

"I don't think we will ever know," Lily said.

Not too long after the simpering witch left, the three of them saw a white curtain swaying in the wind. They went over to it. They could almost see a figure though the soft, white fabric.

The figure had his wand hand raised and looked like he was duelling. As they looked, he came more and more into focus until he fell right out of the curtain and landed on Cedric. As soon as he landed the curtain vanished.

"Get off," Cedric yelled, "I may be a cloud, but that doesn't mean I want to be a flattened cloud."

"Sirius?" James said, not paying any attention to Cedric's complaints.

"Yep," Sirius said, looking around for someone and not at James, "Where is Bellatrix? I almost had her."

"If you are here," Lily said softly, "then you didn't almost have her."

Sirius turned around at Lily's words and saw his best friend made of cloud. The sight was too much for him and he burst out laughing.

"James," he said, "you look like cotton candy."

"Ha ha ha," James said, "look down at your hands, wise guy."

Sirius looked down and swore.

"Man," he said, "I look like teddy bear puke."

At this, all four of them burst out laughing.

"Teddy bear puke?" James said, still laughing his head off, "bit of an odd way to put it, don't ya think?"

After all four of them had calmed down enough to talk Sirius asked, "So James, what is going on? I am assuming that you know why I am a cloud."

"You are dead," James said, suddenly sober, "and since it seems you were fighting with Bellatrix when you came here, I am going to assume it was she who killed you."

"Yeah, I thought as much," Sirius said, sadly, "Since you have been dead for fourteen years. It was either that or I got hit on the head while I was fighting and am hallucinating all of you."

"Well, you're not hallucinating," James said.

"Fourteen years!" Lily said, "Really?"

Sirius nodded.

"Oh, well," Sirius said, picking up his conversation with James, "at least I get to see you two again. I have missed you."

And with that, Sirius went over to his best friend and gave him a hug. He then hugged Lily.

"Don't I get a hug?" Cedric asked. James and Sirius looked at each other and as one grabbed Cedric around the middle and threw him into a patch of particularly bouncy cloud.

Upon impact Cedric made a poof sound and was temporarily obscured by cloud. When he emerged he did not look impressed.

"That was not what I meant," he said.

"I know, but it was too funny," Sirius said, snorting.

"James," Cedric said, "even if he is innocent of killing a street full of people, he is still guilty of being an ass."

"And Amen to that," Sirius said.

"I should have warned you," James said to Cedric, "he doesn't take insults well."

"Huh," Cedric said.

"So, fellow dead people," Sirius said, "What do you do for fun around here?"

"Not much," James said, "Talk to dead people mostly."

"Wow!" Sirius said, in awe of his friends' patience, "and you have been doing that for fourteen years!"

"I guess so," James sighed.

"Okay, that is so not going to happen," Sirius said, "We need to come up with something else to do."

"There isn't anything else," James said, "trust me."

"Yep and now I am going to make everything better," Sirius said.

Lily sighed.

"You might, but first," she said to Sirius, and then she added sadly to James, "we have to give him his choices."

James nodded sadly and motioned that he couldn't do it, so Lily stepped in.

"Sirius," she said, "this is only Limbo. This is not the final place the dead go. This is where the dead go to make the decision of where they are going to go."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"You have three choices," Lily said, "you can go back to earth as a ghost, you could stay here, or you can go on."

"Oh," Sirius said, "so that's why ghosts never know anything about the afterlife. That always bugged me."

"Yeah," James said, "Lily and I have stayed here in order to learn as much as we can about Harry."

"And I am here," Cedric piped in, not wanting to be ignored, "to keep these very bored people company."

"So I can stay here and hang out with you for as long as I like?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," James said, relieved. He didn't want to say goodbye to his friend so soon after not seeing him for so long.

"I know what I can do first to improve the entertainment around here," Sirius said, "I am going to tell you everything I know about Harry."

"Oh and how you escaped from Azkaban," Cedric added, "that always confused me."

"Why would you know anything about Harry?" Lily asked, "I thought you were on the run for the last three years?"

"I was on the run for two years and hiding for one year, but I was Harry's godfather for over two years."

"That doesn't make any sense," Cedric said.

"How?" James asked, "Didn't he think you were the one that got us killed?"

"Yeah, he did at first," Sirius said, "but to get to that I have to start from the beginning."

"Sounds like a plan," James said, "We have nothing better to do." He smiled. And Sirius began.

"The night you died, I went to check on Peter. But when I got there he was gone with no sign of a struggle. I went to your house straight away. When I saw it in ruins, I knew Peter had betrayed you."

Sirius paused. James thought there was something he wasn't telling him, but didn't interrupt.

"But the whole world believed I had been your Secret-Keeper, so I knew I had to go into hiding. But I wanted to find Peter first. To punish him.

"I quickly learned that though Voldemort had found you, he hadn't been able to kill your son. I knew that looking after him was the only thing more important than my revenge."

"I thought I could look after Harry while I was in hiding, but when I went to get him Hagrid was there with orders from Dumbledore he wouldn't disobey.

"I knew that if Harry was in Dumbledore's care he would be safe, and Hagrid wouldn't even bend on his orders, so I let him take Harry. I gave him my motorbike to get Harry there faster, just in case there was someone following him.

"So now I was free to hunt down Peter. It turned out that Peter was far too easy to find. I didn't think about it at the time, but later I realized he wanted to be found.

"When I thought I had Peter cornered he started to yell at me about how I was the spy. I didn't take any heed of what he said and tried to curse him, but he was too quick for me. He cut off his own finger, blew apart the street with the wand behind his back and then slid down into the sewer, and no one was the wiser."

"What?" Cedric said, "What do you mean he went into the sewer. He wouldn't fit."

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you," James said to his new friend and then instead of simply telling Cedric, James gave Sirius a cue and they both proceeded to turn into animals at the same time.

All of a sudden Cedric was looking at a big cloud dog, a fluffy stag and an unimpressed Lily.

"What the hell!" Cedric said.

"They are Anamagi" Lily said, bored.

"Both of them?" Cedric said. "But that is so rare. What are the chances?"

James and Sirius, having decided that the joke was over, turned back into themselves in order to talk.

"It wasn't chance," James said, "we figured out how to do it in our fifth year at Hogwarts."

"You were younger than ME!" Cedric said. "Okay, that is just not fair. No wonder you escaped from Azkaban."

"Hey, that's skipping ahead," Sirius said, "I am still at the beginning."

"Okay, fine," Cedric said, "so then Peter is an Animagus too. And he what turns into a cockroach or something?"

"A rat," Sirius corrected, "anyway, so once he vanished everyone stupidly thought that he was right and that I had killed him before he could be a hero."

Sirius sighed.

"So the whole situation was just too funny for me and I started to laugh."

Lily and Cedric looked at Sirius like he was crazy. James said, "Oh, Sirius!" in a resigned voice.

"Yeah, yeah, I know it was stupid, but I was really pissed and laughing seemed to be the thing to do at the time. Surprisingly, instead of proving my innocence, laughing seemed to just convince them all that I was guilty."

"No really?" Cedric said sarcastically. "Why would that be, do ya think?"

"I have no idea!" Sirius said in a falsely innocent voice.

"Anyway," James said, trying to prevent a fight.

"Yes, so I was laughing while they arrested me. I figured I could explain everything once I was on trial, but then they didn't give me a trial and before I knew it I was in Azkaban."

Sirius's voice changed from amused to solemn as he continued.

"I only kept my sanity in Azkaban because I knew I was innocent. When everything became too much I transformed in my cage. They couldn't tell."

"Nothing really happened till I saw a photo of Peter. The caption said the boy Peter was with would be going back to Hogwarts. Where Harry was."

"Yeah, I remember that," Cedric said, "you kept saying 'he's at Hogwarts' in your sleep right before you escaped from Azkaban. My dad told me. Everyone thought you were after Harry."

"Yes, and so did Harry. Apparently he overheard Ron's parents Molly and Arthur talking about how I was after him while he was staying with them at the Leaky Cauldron. There were a lot of parents who were reluctant to let their kids go back to Hogwarts that year."

"What?" Lily said, "When we were kids Voldemort was at full power and we went to school."

"The Ministry has gotten lazy since Voldemort fell," Sirius said. "They thought I was going to go back to Voldemort and bring him back to power. That same laziness is the reason that no one believes Voldemort is back. The Ministry is keeping it quiet because they refuse to believe."

"So we have heard," James said.

"It's horrible," Lily said. "No one at Harry's school believes that Harry saw Voldemort come back. Or even believes that Voldemort is back!"

"Yeah, I know. He hates it."

"How do you know, though?" James said.

"I will get to that part," Siruis said, and they fell silent to listen.

"I knew that if Peter gave Harry to Voldemort, he would be welcomed back into Voldemorts ranks," Sirius continued.

"I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive and that belief gave me the strength to leave."

"I slipped through the bars as a dog, when they brought me food. I swam as a dog back to the main land and started on a path to Hogwarts."

"Once I was there I lived in the forbidden forest, trying to find a way into Hogwarts to find Peter. As it turned out the red-haired boy who Peter was hiding with was one of Harry's best friends. His name is Ron Weasley."

"You're telling me Ron's rat was a person?" Cedric said, stunned.

"Yep," Sirius, Lily and James said together.

When no one spoke, Sirius continued.

"Harry still didn't know that I was his godfather or that I knew any of you, but he found out about everything on his first trip into Hogsmeade."

"But how could he get into Hogsmeade?" Lily said. "I doubt my sister or her husband would have given him permission."

"And you are quite right, Lily," Sirius continued, "Harry didn't have permission, but that didn't stop him. He has our map."

"Yes!" James said in triumph.

"You mean that stupid thing you guys made in school on your monthly wandering?" Lily said.

"Yeah," James and Sirius said together.

Lily sighed and said, "I hope the next person who dies is a girl. I am getting sick of all this guy stuff."

Both men laughed at this.

"Anyway, Harry got the map from the Weasley twins and he used it to get into Honeydukes. Remember the passage behind that old witch's hump on the seventh floor?"

"Oh, yeah," James said, "that one was great"

"Anyway," Lily said, sick of all the map talk.

"Right," Sirius said, "so Harry was in the Leaky Cauldron under your old Cloak, James, when…"

"My old Cloak?" James interrupted. "But I lent that to Dumbledore before I died."

"Yeah, you did," Sirius said, "and Dumbledore gave it to Harry for Christmas in his first year at Hogwarts. He has been using it ever since in all his escapades around the castle."

"You mean he is just as dumb as you two were?" Lily said sadly.

"No, actually," Sirius said, earnestly, "he doesn't break the rules to just break the rules; he usually does it to help a friend, or stop evil, or free the innocent."

"Well, when you put it like that," Lily said, feeling much better.

"Okay, so Harry heard all about my supposed betrayal while he was under the Cloak in Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione. Most of the staff and Fudge were there talking about me, the Dementors and Harry. He overheard their conversation."

"What do you mean the Dementors?" James said, "I thought they were all guarding Azkaban?"

"Yeah, they were," Sirius said, "but the year I escaped they were around the school to stop me from getting to Harry."

"They placed Dementors around a school!" Lily said shocked.

"Yep."

"The Ministry sure has changed," James said, coldly.

"I guess so," Sirius said, "though I would blame their current bad leadership more than anything else."

"Keep going," Lily said, more interested in Harry than politics.

"Harry's friends spent a lot of time after that trying to convince him not to go looking for me, which was a good idea considering what they knew, but if they had just let Harry go looking for me it would have made everything so much easier."

Sirius sighed, "He would have found me; I would have explained everything and then it could all have been water under the bridge and there would have been no need for flying hippogriffs halfway around the w—"

"Okay," Lily said angrily, "Now who is jumping ahead."

"Sorry," Sirius said sheepishly, "So anyway, the next event worth mentioning is when I managed to get into Gryffindor tower. I had made friends with a cat named—"

"A cat?" Cedric said.

"Yes," Sirius said. "A very intelligent cat named Crookshanks. He is Hermione's cat."

"And she is Harry's friend, right?" Lily said. "I think Quirrell mentioned her."

"It was me who mentioned her," Cedric said. "And yeah, she is friends with Harry, though there were a lot of rumours going around the year I died that she was _more_ than his friend."

"Well, was she?" Lily asked.

"I don't know," Cedric said. "But it was Rita Skeeter who started the rumours, so probably not."

"They are just friends," Sirius said.

"Oh," Lily said, "but has Harry had any love interests? I mean he is fourteen."

"None he has told me about," Sirius said.

Lily looked a little disappointed, but motioned for Sirius to continue.

"So I managed to communicate to Crookshanks that I wasn't a dog and what I wanted. After that he started helping me. He couldn't bring Peter to me. Ron was very protective of his pet rat. He even had a big fight with Hermione over it. I remember Harry telling me how, though they would both talk to him, they wouldn't talk to each other. Harry actually said that once when they bumped into each other…"

"Do you think it would be possible," Lily said slowly, "for you to just stick to the original story without going off on tangents?"

"Apparently not," Sirius said, smirking.

"Sirius," James said with authority.

"Alright, alright," Sirius said. "So by now I knew I had to go to Peter. The first time I got into the castle I didn't get very far. The Fat Lady wouldn't let me in. I was so mad I slashed her painting with my claws. I know I shouldn't have, but…"

"Wait a minute. The castle was surrounded by Dementors," Cedric said, "how did you get in?"

"That was the easy part," Sirius said, "I got through the secret passageway in the cellar of Honeydukes as a dog."

"Right," Cedric said, "I guess I'm still not used to you two being able to change into animals whenever you want."

"I guess those Dementors really were pointless, huh?" James sniggered.

"You said 'first time you got into the castle'," Lily said, ignoring James.

"Yeah," Sirius continued his story, "I didn't attempt to get in again until Crookshanks managed to steal the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me. Then I—"

"Wait a minute," Cedric said, "that's how you did it? A cat stole the passwords for you."

"Yeah," Sirius said, "what's wrong with that?"

"I was attending Hogwarts when you broke in, remember," Cedric said, "and everyone had a different theory as to how you got into the tower. But no one thought of 'my best mate the cat stole the passwords for me.'"

"Well, that is what happened," Sirius said, rather put out, but also curious. "Do you remember how they thought I got in?"

"No," Cedric said, "why?"

"'Cause with stories like that, the truth is usually not nearly as interesting as what people make up."

"Can we get back to the point," Lily said.

"Right," Sirius said. "So…where was I?"

But before Lily could answer, James spoke.

"You keep bringing up these Weasleys," James said. "Who are they?"

"They are Harry's surrogate family," Sirius said, "Harry has no family ties with his aunt and uncle, but he has to go there every summer. I am not sure why, but Dumbledore has his reasons. So towards the end of the summer he goes to the Weasleys'. They are his best friend's family and they all love him very much."

"That's wonderful," Lily said her eyes glossy.

"Yeah, it is," Sirius said, "though Molly is a bit overprotective."

"How so?"

"She wouldn't let me tell Harry about Voldemort and what the Order was doing," Sirius said, "she was babying him and it bugged me. Then she said that I was acting like Harry was James and that bugged me too."

"Well, he does look like James," Lily said.

"How would you know?" Sirius said, "You have never seen him."

"Yes, I have," Lily said, "Remember when Harry's and Voldemort's wands were forced to fight and Voldemort's wand started to…"

"Yeah, I remember," Sirius said, darkly, "I was with Harry when he had to explain it to Dumbledore. It was awful."

"Just wait one minute," James said, "how could you be near Harry while Dumbledore is around if he thought you guilty of betraying us?"

"I haven't finished the story yet," Sirius said, annoyed.

"Now, Lily," Sirius said, "are you telling me that you actually came out of Voldemort's wand when Harry was fighting Voldemort last year?"

"Yes," Lily said, "we all came out. We were pulled down to earth again and I got to see Harry."

"Okay, tell me everything," Sirius said, sitting down and getting settled. Lily could almost picture a bowl of popcorn in his lap.

"Hang on, what about your story?" she asked.

"I'll finish it later," Sirius said, "And besides I am sure yours will be faster." He grinned at them.


	5. Ch5: Stories and Laughter

**Chapter Five: Stories and Laughter**

"Fine," James said, after he and Lily had finished summarizing their last fourteen years of boredom. "Ours was shorter."

"Yeah, well, that's only 'cause you are dead," Sirius smirked.

"Ha ha ha," James said, "now finish your story."

"Okay, where was I?" Sirius said.

"I don't remember," James said.

Cedric shrugged.

"Really?" Lily said. "You are all hopeless. A cat had just stolen the passwords for you."

"Right," Sirius said, "So I got into the castle like I did the first time, but when I got to the Fat Lady's portrait it wasn't there. Instead there was that guy from the Divination tower. What was his name, Sir something. He was this really pathetic knight that couldn't even get on his pony."

"Do you mean Sir Cadogan?" Cedric said.

"Yeah, him, anyway he wasn't smart enough to know who I was, so I just turned back into a man, read the passwords for him and went into the tower easy as you please."

"I had a knife with me to cut that stupid rat in half, but while I was searching Ron's room, Ron woke up and I guess the sight of me standing over him with a knife was kind of too much for him 'cause he started screaming."

"What?" Cedric said, "Ron told the whole school he nearly captured you."

"Really?" Sirius said laughing. "That's great!"

When he was done chuckling he continued, "Despite the bad first impression Ron did warm up to me eventually. I remember this time at dinner when Tonks had turned her nose into a pig's snout—"

"Ron started screaming then what?" Lily said, trying to keep the boys on topic.

"Oh, come on, this one is really funny," Sirius said.

"This is ridiculous," Lily said. "It was easier to get information out of Quirrell for heaven's sake."

Sirius laughed at Lily's use of the word heaven and then said, "Yeah, but I bet it wasn't nearly this fun."

"No, it wasn't fun at all," James said.

"He mostly just shuddered and whimpered for us to not hurt him," Lily said. "It took us ages to get him to finally believe he was dead." Lily sighed.

"But that's hilarious," Sirius said, "how come you didn't include that in your story?"

"'Cause we wanted to keep it short so that you would tell us your story," Lily said really mad now. "If you don't finish your story, Sirius, I swear on my teddy bear puke hand I will—"

But the sight of Lily trying to be aggressive while talking about teddy bear puke was too much for both her husband and Sirius. They tried not to laugh—well, James tried anyway—but they couldn't help it.

"That is…possibly…the best thing…I have ever…heard you say," Sirius said between laughs.

"Sorry, honey," James said, trying to mend fences, "but you are just so cute when you're mad; the contrast is priceless."

"Don't say why it's funny, James," Sirius said, not laughing anymore, "that ruins it."

"Good," Lily said, "and thank you, Cedric, for not laughing." She turned to Sirius and added, "Now would you please finish your story."

"Man, you are no fun dead," Sirius said. "Fine, so where was I?"

"Ron was screaming," Cedric said smiling.

"I knew I only had moments before he woke up the whole school," Sirius continued in a theatrical voice, "so I ran. I got out of that dormitory and back to the forest as fast as my doggy legs could carry me."

"I knew I didn't dare break into the castle again. And the students weren't allowed outside, so I just had to come up with a new plan."

"Unfortunately for me I didn't manage to come up with much. Crookshanks told me security was being tripled. There were teachers and ghosts patrolling the corridors all night and no students were allowed outside on their own."

"It was about then that Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it. Crookshanks told me he left blood on the sheets to fake his death. So I didn't even know where he was. I decided to play it cool and wait."

"You wait?" James said, "I would have liked to have seen that."

"Ha ha ha, very funny," Sirius said. "It wasn't all waiting. I went to the Quiddich games to see Harry play. And you know I think he may be better than you, James."

"That is not possible," James said.

"Actually, I think it is," Cedric said, "I have seen him play too. I have even played against him. I once saw him manage to catch the Snitch while he was avoiding a Bludger that had been jinxed to only go after him."

"I never saw that one," Sirius said. "When was that?"

"In Harry's second year. My fifth."

"So before I escaped then," Sirius said. "Too bad, that sounds like it would have been a great game."

"It was," Cedric said.

"How come the Bludger was fixed," Lily asked, "isn't that supposed to be against the rules or something?"

"No one really knows why," Cedric said, "the Bludger just never went for anyone else all game."

"Wait a minute," Sirius said, "we have gotten off topic again. Aren't you supposed to be telling us to get back on topic or else."

"As far as I am concerned this is on topic," Lily said, "I want to talk about Harry, not listen to you two reminisce about the 'good old days.'"

Sirius chuckled.

"One day while I was lurking around the forest trying to figure out what to do," Sirius said, "I heard muttered voices near the Whomping Willow. I didn't notice anything at once, but it didn't take me long to figure out Crookshanks had found Peter for me."

"By the sound of his squeaking, Peter knew I was there. With my canine night vision, I saw Peter land on the ground and scamper away. Crookshanks ran after him."

"Ron materialized out of nowhere and ran after Peter too. Harry and Hermione appeared from under the Cloak soon after Ron."

"So I knew I had to get Peter, but since everyone was either chasing him or chasing someone who was chasing him, I didn't really know who I should chase. Especially since I could barely see Peter in the dark undergrowth.

"But even with that it felt like my lucky day. They were all here. Just hanging out where they're not supposed to. I didn't find out until later that they had come out after hours to comfort Hagrid about his Hippogriff being executed."

"Poor Hagrid," Lily said, "I remember him from when I was at school. He was big, but really sweet."

"Yeah," Sirius said, "and he still is. And he is really good friends with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Actually in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, he and his friends managed to get Hagrid off the hook for the whole misunderstanding that led everyone to believe he opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"That's great," Lily said, "I never thought it was him."

"You weren't even alive," James said.

"I know that," Lily said, "but I heard the stories same as everyone else. And I knew him. The two didn't fit."

"Oh, right," James said.

"Ever since I was blamed for your murder," Sirius said, "I have felt great sympathy for Hagrid. Though thanks to Dumbledore, Hagrid didn't lose his good looks spending over a decade in Azkaban."

"What do you mean?" James said.

"Well, look at me," Sirius said, "don't I look different from the last time you saw me?"

"No," James said.

"What?" Sirius said.

Lily sighed at the complete and utter lack of thought these two supposed geniuses had put into such a simple thing and said, "We are dead. It is like a clean slate. Remember Bertha Jorkins?"

"Oh, right," James said, "she got her memory and sanity back once she was here."

"Yeah," Lily said, "and now Sirius has got his looks back."

"Well, that's just awesome," Sirius said. "Now I can go back to having all the ladies."

"Mate," James said in an accusing tone, "the only lady here is my wife."

"Right," Sirius said, quickly changing his tune, "so I have dibs on the next hot cloud girl that shows up."

"I was wondering why you looked different," Cedric said, "I thought it was just the fact that we are all made of cloud, but now that I think about it, you don't look at all like the crazed murderer in the Profit."

"Ah, thanks?" Sirius said unsure.

"Who did open the Chamber of Secrets all those years ago?" James said, "Did Harry find out who it was or just prove that it wasn't Hagrid?"

"Oh, he found out who it was, alright," Sirius said. "It really is kind of obvious once you think about."

After seeing the confused looks on Cedric, Lily and James's faces, Sirius decided to give them another hint.

"What dark lord do we know that hates Muggle-borns, used to go to Hogwarts, and is skilled enough to hide something so completely that no headmaster for over 50 years could find it?" Sirius said.

"Voldemort," Lily, James and Cedric said together.

"Ding ding," Sirius said. "We have a winner."

"Does that mean that Harry went up against Voldemort again when he was twelve?" Lily said.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "Though it wasn't really Voldemort. It was a memory of Voldemort that had been left behind."

"Harry facing Voldemort seems to be a yearly event," James said.

"Almost," Sirius said, sadly. Then when the silence was too much he continued his story.

"So there they were, right in front of me. I saw Ron dive and yell in triumph, so I knew he had caught Peter. I wanted to go straight for Ron, but I knew his friends—especially Harry—would try and stop me, so I knocked them over first."

"You knocked Harry over as a giant dog," Lily said angrily.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "But don't look at me like that. I didn't have a choice."

Lily let go of her annoyed look, but just barely.

"So after I knocked Harry over, I came back around to get Ron, but Ron obviously thought I was after Harry 'cause he tried to get between me and Harry."

"Now as you all know I was totally fine with that. I grabbed Ron's arm in my mouth to drag him down the Whomping Willow passage. I knew that if I tried to kill Peter in the open he would probably get away. I decided the Shrieking Shack would be the perfect place to do it."

"Let me get this straight," Cedric said. "After an innocent man escapes from the supposedly inescapable prison, instead of trying to prove his innocence, he tries to commit the murder he was imprisoned for. How does that make any sense?"

"Yeah," James said, "I know that Peter betrayed us, but at that point we had been dead for twelve years. Why did you waste your life trying to avenge us instead of looking after yourself?"

"'Cause when someone you considered a friend betrays your best friend and in doing so betrays you," Sirius said, "you get angry."

"You shouldn't have gone after Peter in the first place," Lily said. "It ruined your life. I wish you had just let Voldemort's followers deal with him."

"They weren't going to, Lily."

"What do you mean?"

"Voldemort had fallen. His most faithful servants were in Azkaban within a month. And all his other followers were hiding in our ranks. There was no one left to punish Peter except me."

"I still wish you hadn't."

"Even if I hadn't gone after Peter, they still would have thought I was the Secret-Keeper. I still would have been sent to Azkaban. And if I hadn't been so obsessed with revenge, I never would have escaped Azkaban and found and befriended Harry."

"Which is an odd statement considering at this point in your story you just knocked Harry to the ground and kidnapped his best friend," Cedric said.

Sirius laughed, "Yeah, I guess it is. So you want me to continue then?"

Lily, James and Cedric nodded.

"It took me a while to get into the Willow's passage, because Ron had wrapped his ankle around a root to stop me. Though I could tell the load in my mouth was harder to pull, I didn't really know why till I heard a snap. Ron's ankle had broken."

"Hopefully you didn't drag him the whole way, especially with a broken ankle," Lily said. "From what I understand of that passage it's really long."

"Well," Sirius said, "I tried to get him on my back or something, but whenever I let him go he tried to run, even with his ankle."

"Harry chose his friends well," James said. "All of them seem to be brave and loyal."

"Yeah," Sirius said, "Ron is scared of spiders, though."

"Well, no one's perfect," James said.

Lily sighed.

"Fine, on topic," Sirius said. "So once I got Ron to the Shrieking Shack, I went straight for the bedroom on the top floor and set him on the bed so he could rest his leg. I changed back into a human, closed the door and turned to tell Ron that all I wanted was the rat. But as soon as I changed, he just freaked out."

"I was not used to using my voice and would have found it hard to explain to Ron what I was after, even if he had been willing to listen. This meant that when Harry and Hermione came through the door only minutes later Ron tried to warn Harry.

"I was hiding behind the door when Harry and Hermione came in. Ron told them who the dog was; then I closed the door from behind and disarmed them."

"I found my voice and I told Harry I thought he would come and help his friend, because that is what you would have done, James."

"But why did you say that since you were after Peter not Harry?" James said.

"You know what that is a good point," Sirius said.

James took this to mean Sirius didn't know the answer to his question and fell silent.

Sirius interpreted James's silence wrong.

"Hey, you try making sense when you're half-starved, half crazy and on the run," Sirius said.

James put his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

Sirius was satisfied by this and continued.

"Harry seemed to take this as a taunt about his father," Sirius said, "and charged at me."

"But he didn't have a wand," Lily said, "and he was only thirteen. That would have been suicide if you were who he thought you were."

Lily shivered.

"Harry didn't actually get to me, though, at least not this time," Sirius said, "Hermione and Ron held him back."

"Good," Lily said. "You know, I am liking these two more and more."

"And you are going to like them even more after you hear this," Sirius said.

"While Ron and Hermione were holding Harry back, Ron said that if I wanted to kill Harry I would have to kill all three of them."

"Wow," James said softly.

Lily nodded.

"Yeah, I know," Sirius said, "even in my semi-crazy state I knew what that meant. I didn't register it completely at the time, though. I told Ron to sit down so he wouldn't strain his leg anymore, but he just said I would have to kill all three of them again, so I stupidly told them that there would be only one murder tonight and they took it the wrong way."

"Harry thought I was talking about him, but he was too mad to really care. He just yelled at me about how I didn't mind last time."

"Last time?" Cedric said.

"Yeah, you know," Black said, "when Peter blew up a Muggle street and blamed me."

"Right," Cedric said.

"Next Harry was yelling that I had gone soft in Azkaban and Hermione was telling him to be quiet. She seemed to be the only one there besides Peter that had noticed they were in danger." Sirius chuckled.

"How can you laugh about a thing like that?" Lily said.

"'Cause I haven't thought about any of this in ages. And now it is kind of funny."

"Nothing about this is funny," Lily said coldly.

"Not for you," Sirius said.

Lily glared.


	6. Ch6: Past Revisited

**Chapter Six: Past Revisited**

"Just get back to the story, Sirius," James said, "maybe when Lily knows the whole thing she will agree with you."

"I doubt it," Lily said, "but continue anyway."

"Okay, so after Harry was shhhh-ed by Hermione, he yelled at me that I had killed his mom and dad. Then with a huge effort, Harry pulled himself free of Ron and Hermione's grip and charged at me.

"He grabbed my wrist holding the wands and pointed them away, and then he used his other hand to punch every part of me he could find. I tried to use the wands to stupefy Harry, but my spell missed him. I twisted madly to get free, but he clung on."

"So at this point I was fed up. I used my free hand to grab Harry's throat. I was about to throw Harry off me when Hermione's foot came out of nowhere and kicked me. And man, that girl can kick when she wants to."

"The next thing I knew Ron had thrown himself on my wand hand and all the wands in my hand clattered to the ground. Harry went to get his wand."

"Once Harry had his wand, he told his friends to get out of the way; they did and quickly."

"Now Harry had his wand pointed straight at my heart. I had a bruise on my left eye and my nose was bleeding."

"My thirteen-year-old son beat you up," James said, laughing, "that's great."

"Ha ha ha," Sirius said, "it wasn't like I could really hit him back or anything."

"Yeah, I know" said James, "but it's still great."

"James," Lily said, "at this point in Harry's life he has thwarted Voldemort three times. I don't think beating up a cripple who wouldn't hurt him was really a challenge."

"But Harry didn't know Sirius wouldn't hurt him," James said. "He thought…"

"I wasn't a cripple," Sirius said, interrupting James, "I would like to see one of you after eleven years in Azkaban and a year living off rats. I bet you would have been in even worse shape than I was."

"No, you wouldn't," Cedric said.

"What?" Sirius said.

"You wouldn't want to see either of them like that," Cedric said.

"Alright, fine, I wouldn't," Sirius said, "But that doesn't mean I was a cripple. I think I did very well considering."

"Except for the fact that you let a boy beat you up," James sniggered.

"I was tired," Sirius yelled, "it is a lot of work being on the run. And there isn't much to eat."

"Boys," Lily said, "can you please get over your manly pride and get back to the story."

Lily gave Sirius and James a look to prove her point and a disgruntled Sirius continued from where he had left off.

"I asked Harry if he was going to kill me and he reminded me again I had killed his parents—man, that boy needed a new tune—anyway, I tried to get him to listen to the whole story. He wouldn't. He just said he knew all he needed to."

"He said that he could hear you, Lily; you trying to stop Voldemort killing him."

"How?" Lily asked.

"At the time I didn't know," Sirius said, "but I later found out that when Harry gets too near a Dementor he hears Voldemort killing you."

"Me," Lily said, "but he was only one year old. How could he remember that?"

"I don't think he really does," Sirius said, "but Dementors are powerful creatures. I think that if you have a horrible memory you don't remember, a Dementor can bring it to the forefront of you mind."

"That's terrible," Lily said, "Harry shouldn't have to hear that."

James put an arm around Lily's shoulder and turned to Sirius.

"Does he only hear Lily?" James asked.

"Mostly Lily," Sirius said, "but he did hear you try and fend off Voldemort so that he and Lily could make a run for it."

"How do you know all of this?" Cedric asked. "I mean did he tell you?"

"No, this he didn't tell me," Sirius said, "Remus told me that."

"And why on earth would Professor Lupin know that?" Cedric asked.

"'Cause Harry had private lessons with Remus the year he taught at Hogwarts."

"About what?" Cedric asked.

"How to repel Dementors," Sirius said. "The Dementors had stopped Harry from winning a Quiddich match, so naturally he decided he needed to learn how to get rid of them." Sirius chuckled. "Sound familiar, James?"

"Yeah," James said. "So when Remus was teaching Harry the Patronus charm, Harry had the vision of me. But doesn't that mean they were working with a real Dementor?"

"It should, but not in this case," Sirius said, "they were working with a Boggart."

"You mean Harry's worst fear is fear," Lily said.

"I guess so," Sirius said.

"Wait a sec," Cedric said. "If Professor Lupin told you that then he must have known you were innocent, but if he did, why didn't he try to help you before you managed to break out on your own. I mean he could have called an appeal or gone looking for Peter or something."

"We never told Remus we changed Secret-Keepers," James said to Cedric, "we didn't know who the spy was. We couldn't take any chances."

"Well, that was kind of dumb of you, wasn't it," Cedric said, "and you managed to figure out how to become Anamagi." Cedric sighed.

"I am guessing you are going to get to the how-Remus-realized-you-were-innocent part eventually, so just keep going," Lily said.

"So while Harry had his wand covering me, Crookshanks came over and laid across my chest," Sirius said, "I tried to push him off, but he wouldn't move."

"Harry raised his wand and for a moment I thought he was going to kill Crookshanks just to get to me, but he didn't."

He just stood there with his wand covering me until Remus came panting into the room. Remus disarmed all of us and came over to look at me.

"My first thought was that I was going to get sent back to Azkaban by the only person left that I had ever considered a friend, but when Remus spoke he didn't sound mad at all. He asked me 'Where is he?' and I knew he knew that Peter was there.

"I pointed at Ron. And good old Remus figured everything out."

"Just like that," James said.

"Well, sort of," Sirius said, "Remus had confiscated the Marauder's Map from Harry a few months before and had seen Peter's name on it. That combined with everything else he knew was enough for him to figure it out."

"Once Remus had figured it out, he came over to me and helped me up. At that point they all freaked out."

Sirius sighed.

"Hermione said she hadn't told anyone and that she had been covering up for Remus."

"Harry yelled something I can't remember. Remus defended himself against whatever Harry had said and tried to get them to listen, but Hermione wouldn't. She yelled Remus was a werewolf."

"Remus confirmed that he was a werewolf, but he hadn't been helping me all this time. Remus asked Hermione how long she had known. And she said since she had done Professor Snape's Essay."

"What?" James said, "Snape's essay? Why would Snape be involved in this?"

"Snape was taking over for Remus's classes that took place during the full moon," Sirius explained, "and the first day he made the students write an essay on werewolves hoping one of them would figure out what it meant."

"That was just evil of him," James said angrily, "like Remus doesn't have enough problems without old Snivellus messing things up for him."

"Don't call him Snivellus," Lily said, "I know he shouldn't have done that, but that doesn't mean…"

"Lily, you can't still be defending him," Sirius said.

"Yes, I can," Lily said. "He was actually a very nice boy until he got into the dark arts. We were neighbours as children. He was the first one who ever told me I was a witch."

"You never told me that," James said.

"That's 'cause it was none of your business," Lily said.

"But I'm your husband," James said.

"Yes and he was a dear friend of mine," Lily said, "even if he isn't any more that doesn't mean I want to listen to you two talk about him like that."

"Alright fine," James said, "I will lay off the Snape jokes."

"Thank you," Lily said to James and then to Sirius she added, "Keep going."

"Hermione said she should have told everyone what he was. Then Remus shocked the whole room—except me—by saying that the staff already knew."

"Ron questioned Dumbledore's sanity—and which of us hasn't questioned that at some time or another—and Harry said that Dumbledore was wrong to trust Remus."

"Remus told them again they were wrong and to prove he was serious he gave all three of them back their wands and pocketed his. At Harry's prompting Remus explained how he had found them and then asked for Ron's rat. Ron was totally confused, but he pulled Scabbers out of his pocket."

"I told Ron that Scabbers wasn't a rat and, when Ron protested, Remus backed me up. We told them who that rat really was, but they didn't believe us."

"Harry said that Scabbers couldn't be Peter 'cause I had killed Peter twelve years ago. I said that I'd meant to. When I tried to grab Peter, Remus stopped me. He thought that they should understand."

"Hermione said that Scabbers couldn't be Peter Pettigrew because the Ministry keeps a record of all Animagi and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."

"How did she know that?" Cedric asked, "Did she memorize the list or something?"

"Pretty much," Sirius said, "she looked up the registry when she did her homework."

"Wow," Cedric said, "that's homework dedication."

"Yeah," Sirius said, "and Remus agreed with you. He told Hermione she was right as usual and said that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"Them being you, James and Peter," Cedric said.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "Remus was just about to start telling his story from the beginning when we all heard the door creak open. Ron said the place was haunted. Remus told them it wasn't."

"Then he started at the beginning and explained his whole life story which I don't really want to get into right now. So I am just going to skip to—"

"Wait," Cedric said, "I don't know anything about Professor Lupin's past. Don't skip it just 'cause these two have heard it. They are used to being bored."

"Oh, thanks," James said, but everyone ignored him.

"Okay," Sirius said, "But in a nut-shell."

Cedric nodded.

"Remus was bitten young. He wasn't able to go to school, because the Wolfsbane potion hadn't been discovered yet. But when—"

"What's the Wolfsbane potion?" Cedric asked.

"A potion a werewolf can drink in the weeks preceding the full moon that makes it so they keep their mind when they transform," Sirius said quickly.

"Oh," Cedric said, "So when was it discovered? Was Lupin drinking that potion while he was at Hogwarts?"

"I don't know when it was discovered," Sirius said.

"I have never heard of it, so it must have been invented since we died," James said.

"That sounds about right," Sirius said, "I didn't follow the news in Azkaban so I never heard those kinds of dates. And after I escaped it didn't occur to me to look that particular piece of information up."

"Fair enough," James said.

"What about my second question?" Cedric said.

"Remus was drinking it while he was teaching at Hogwarts," Sirius said.

And then he proceeded to sum up Remus Lupin's life; everything from getting into Hogwarts to making the Marauder's Map.

"Okay, back to my story," Sirius said, before Cedric could ask any more questions, "so at the end of Remus's talk he said Dumbledore's trust had meant everything to him. He was so disgusted with himself he even said Snape had been right about him all along."

"What had Snape been saying?" Lily asked.

"That Remus was working with me," Sirius said. "That Dumbledore was wrong to trust him."

"That's awful," Lily said.

"Now can I call him Snivellus?" James asked.

Lily took a while to answer.

"No," she said. "That would make us no better than him."

"Of course Snape was wrong," Cedric said, breaking the silence.

Sirius, Lily and James nodded.

"He was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we ever had," Cedric said.

"Best friend you could ever want too," Sirius said. James nodded in agreement.

"And he would never join the Death Eaters," Lily said.

"Correct," Sirius said. "But instead of telling Remus that, I picked up on Remus's comment about Snape. It woke me up from the staring-at-Peter state of mind I had been in since Remus started his story."

"Wait a minute," Cedric said. "Hadn't Remus already mentioned Snape when he talked about Hermione learning Remus is a werewolf?"

"Oh, yeah," Sirius said, "I guess I wasn't paying attention." He chuckled.

"Even when your revenge, freedom and life are on the line, you still space out just like you did in class," James said. "That is just so like you."

Sirius's light chuckle turned into a full on laugh.

"Man," he said, "I have missed you guys."

"Wait a minute," Cedric said, "if you weren't paying attention then, how were you able to tell us about it now?"

Sirius opened his mouth to answer, quickly realized he couldn't think of anything and then closed it again.

James laughed.

"I think he's got you on that one, Padfoot," he said.

Sirius gave a reluctant smile and changed the topic.

"After telling me Snape was teaching at Hogwarts, Remus told Harry, Ron and Hermione the story of how I almost got Snape killed and James stopped me."

"What?" Cedric said. Sirius motioned for James to explain.

"Sirius thought it would be funny to tell Snape how to follow us down the passage," James said, "I went after Snape and stopped him before he got to the Shrieking Shack and met a fully grown werewolf. Though I didn't do it for him."

"Who did you do it for?" Cedric asked.

"Those two, and Remus," James said. "It would have been bad for Sirius if someone found out what he did. Remus would never have forgiven himself if he had bitten someone, even Snape. And Lily would have been pissed at me if she knew I had done nothing."

"Were you guys together even back then?" Cedric asked.

"No," Lily said, "James just wished we were."

"That is so not true," James said, "we had been on a few dates by then."

Lily smiled mischievously while James looked indignant.


	7. Ch7: A Conscience Lifted

**Chapter Seven: A Conscience Lifted**

"Once Harry heard the whole story, he figured out why Snape hated Remus so much. As soon as Harry said it, however, we heard Snape's voice come from the corner of the room," Sirius said dramatically.

"What," James, Lily and Cedric said.

"How could that be possible," James said. "Even if he knew you were all in the Shrieking Shack you should have seen him enter the room."

"Remember I told you when Remus started telling his story we all heard the door creak?" Sirius asked his confused audience.

"Yeah," Lily said.

"That was Snape opening the door."

There was an intake of breath, but no one dared say anything.

"He had seen the Marauder's Map sitting on Remus's desk. Then he had found Harry's Invisibility Cloak just lying on the ground by the willow," Sirius said.

"How do you know all this?" Cedric asked, "I mean Snape wouldn't have just stood there and told you all this."

"As a matter of fact that is exactly what Snape did," Sirius said chuckling, "when he pulled off the Cloak he was covering Remus with his wand, and then he stood there and told us all about how he had found us."

"Why did he do that?" Cedric asked.

"Maybe he just wanted to brag," James said.

"Probably," Sirius sniggered. "But at the time I wasn't thinking about why he was doing anything. Not with Snape pointing his wand at Remus."

"Remus said something that Snape didn't like, so Snape bound and gagged Remus with a wave of his wand. I tried to charge at Snape, but he pointed his wand at me and I knew he would kill me if I gave him a reason."

Cedric looked shocked. Lily was confused, but James was angry.

"You know, I expect snooping around and stealing of old Snivellus," James said, "I am not even surprised by the threatening to kill Sirius part, but binding and gagging a fellow teacher is a new low."

Lily opened her mouth to defend her childhood friend, but found she didn't know how.

"The boy I knew would never have done that," Lily said.

"Well, I guess the boy you knew grew up," James said.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "into a nut job."

Lily didn't say anything.

James noticed.

"What happened next?" James asked, so Lily didn't have to.

"Harry and Ron didn't know what to do," Sirius said, "Hermione said Snape should listen to what we had to say, but Snape just told her to hold her tongue."

"But Hermione didn't listen to Snape," Sirius said, smiling happily at Hermione's disobedience.

"Let me guess," James said, "Snape didn't listen to her."

Sirius nodded.

"Snape got so mad sparks flew out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at my face."

James flinched.

"I hear ya, mate," Sirius said, "not a comfortable situation."

"So now Snape started talking about how happy he was to be the one to catch me and all sorts of other petty stuff like that. To be honest, I wasn't listening then and I don't remember what he said now. I just said that as long as Ron brought his rat up to the castle I would come quietly."

"What really caught my attention was what Snape said next. He wasn't planning on taking us to the castle; just out of the willow so he could call the Dementors."

"Oh," Cedric said, sullenly.

"Oh what?" James asked.

"The Ministry had given the Dementors permission to kiss Sirius if they found him," Cedric explained.

James looked outraged. Lily looked mortified but said nothing.

"Now as you can imagine this freaked me out," Siruis said calmly, "I tried again to get Snape to listen, but he was too blinded by rage."

"Snape made the ropes attached to Remus fly into his hands and said that maybe the Dementors would have a kiss for him too."

The expression on Lily's face now was that of confused horror. Sirius was starting to wish he hadn't mentioned that part.

"He was willing to let the Dementors kiss Remus too!" James said shocked.

"Yep," Sirius said, "but it gets better in a sec."

"How?"

"Harry walked across the room and blocked Snape's path. He said Remus had more than enough opportunity to kill him this year in their private lessons."

"Tell me Harry got through to him this time," Lily said.

Sirius shook his head.

"If he had been this bad a listener at school, he never would have passed anything," James said.

"Yeah, you're right," Sirius said sniggering. "And Harry agreed with you for the most part."

"Harry called Snape pathetic for not even trying to listen just because we had made a fool of him at school," Sirius continued.

"Let me guess," James said, "Snape didn't listen."

"How did you know!" Sirius asked, smiling.

"Snape mentioned you, James," Sirius continued, "and told Harry that he should be thanking Snape on bended knee for saving his life."

Suddenly Sirius's calm story-telling voice turned into gleeful excitement.

"This is my favourite part," he said, "Harry, Ron and Hermione all pointed their wands at Snape in unison and yelled 'Expelliarmus!'"

"They did what?" Cedric said.

"They knocked Snape out cold," Siruis said with a loving sigh, "he was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall. His wand flew up, up and away." Sirius was chuckling now.

"How were they not expelled?" Cedric said in wonder.

"Hermione had the same reaction," Sirius said, smiling. "She started saying things like 'we attached a teacher' and 'oh, we are going to be in so much trouble.'"

"Though now I think it's really a great story, at the time I thought Harry should have left Snape to me and I told him so. But he didn't reply."

"Please tell me someone untied poor Remus," James said.

"That would be me," Sirius said. "And then Remus thanked Harry."

"Ahh," James mocked, "and not you."

Sirius said something under his breath, but otherwise ignored James.

"Harry said he still didn't believe us, so Remus said it was time for proof and asked Ron for Peter."

"But Ron had a question. He asked how I knew Peter was this rat if I was locked up in Azkaban."

"Remus said it was a fair question, so I answered it."

"Ron was still unconvinced. Ron made up excuses for Peter's missing finger and Remus pointed out how they didn't make sense."

"Ron blamed Crookshanks for his rat's current state and called him mad, but I contradicted him. Crookshanks, as you all know, is intelligent enough to recognize Peter and help me sneak into Gryffindor tower."

"I still can't believe it was a cat that got you into the tower," Cedric said.

Sirius grinned.

"When Hermione asked how her cat had helped me, I explained everything to her."

"When I said that faking his own death had worked once for Peter, Harry suddenly went back to the 'you killed my parents' shtick he had been repeating all freaking evening." Sirius sighed.

"I told him 'no' to the you-killed-my-parents question, and 'yes' to the are-you-here-to-finish-off-Peter question."

"Harry was apparently not impressed with the I-was-there-to-kill-someone thing, even if it wasn't him," Sirius sighed, and turned to Lily.

"He is too much like you."

"I beg your pardon," Lily said.

From the look he was getting from both Lily and James, Sirius decided to drop it.

"Remus tried to explain by saying it was the other way around," Sirius said, "but Harry said that it wasn't true. He said that I had said so before Remus showed up."

Sirius's happy demeanour vanished as he looked down at his feet and said, "I shook my head at Harry and said I as good as killed you."

Lily put her hand under Sirius's chin and made him look up, her annoyance at him gone.

"It wasn't your fault," she said.

"But I made you change Secret-Keepers at the last moment," Sirius said.

"You made us do no such thing!" Lily said. "It was a good idea, Sirius. It is Voldemort who is responsible for our deaths, not you."

Sirius lowered his head again.

"Is this what you didn't want to tell us before?" James asked.

Sirius nodded.

"I noticed you falter when you first started to tell us your story," James said. "I was worried you were hiding something big. I'm glad it was nothing important."

Sirius looked up again at this. "NOTHING IMPORTANT!" he yelled. "How can you say that! I get my best friends killed and it isn't important!"

"As we have already said," James said, "you did nothing of the sort! Now stop feeling guilty for something you didn't do and keep telling your story. 'Cause right now I don't see how you are going to get Harry to believe you at all, let alone how you end up befriending him."

"What did you think?" Lily said. "If we had been mad at you, don't you think we would have showed it when you first showed up?"

"I knew you weren't mad at me," Sirius said, "I thought that maybe you did blame me, but you had I don't know forgot or something since you have been here so long."

"Ever since we found out you were blamed for our murders we have felt sorry for you," Lily said. "We never blamed you. You should have seen James's face when we found out you escaped."

Sirius turned from Lily to James.

"It was very funny," James said, "the wizard who told us almost fell over from shock when the 'victims' of the spy were happy he got free."

The two friends smiled at each other.

Sirius didn't say anything for a while. He was feeling lighter than he had in longer than he could remember.

"Ow," Sirius said as Cedric kicked him. "What was that for?"

"For stopping your story at a really good bit," Cedric said. "We are all starved for entertainment around here and you are making us wait."

Sirius glared down at Cedric in a falsely annoyed way.


	8. Ch8: Late Apologies

**Chapter Eight: Late Apologies**

"I'm sorry," Sirius said, "I won't keep you in suspense anymore."

"Good," Cedric said, triumphantly.

"So after I told Harry I had as good as killed you, I explained how I had made you change—"

"Eheem," Lily said.

"How I had come up with the idea to use Peter as the Secret-Keeper instead of me."

"That's better," Lily said smiling.

"As I told Harry the story of what happened the night you died I started to choke up. Remus relieved me by taking over and told Ron to give him Peter."

"Ron finally handed Peter over once Remus reassured him that if he really was a rat it wouldn't hurt him."

"Peter was frantic, but Remus held him tightly. We both got our wands out and did the spell together. And Peter emerged."

"He had been a rat for so long he looked like a rat. He looked worse than I did, at the time."

Sirius grinned, thinking of his new-found looks, while James and Lily rolled their eyes.

"Remus tried to get Peter to answer our questions, but Peter just kept trying to save his own stupid skin by begging and pleading while looking for a way out."

"When Remus asked Peter how he had known I would break out of Azkaban when no one else had ever done it before, Peter said I had dark power other wizards only dream about," Sirius said, exasperated.

"I laughed and made Peter flinch by saying Voldemort's name."

James gave Sirius a thumbs up.

"I told him what I had heard in Azkaban. That the supporters still free would be after him."

"Wait a minute," Lily said. "You said that Voldemort's supporters weren't out to get Peter and that was why you had to."

"I said they weren't going to go after him, not that they weren't out to get him," Sirius said. "They all hated Peter, but they thought he was dead. I was the only one who knew Peter was alive."

"Why didn't you just tell someone then?" Lily asked.

"Think about it, Lily," Sirius said. "The Ministry would never have believed me. And I didn't want to give the Death Eaters such valuable information. If they had found Peter they would have gotten more information out of him that I didn't want them to have."

"I guess I see your point," Lily said. "But it still would have been nice if you hadn't gone to Azkaban for something you didn't do."

"You're telling me?" Sirius said with a smile. Lily returned the smile.

"What was Peter's reaction to your white lie then?" James asked.

"He got even more terrified, though he was already so scared it was hard to believe he was able to be more afraid."

"He made up excuses like 'Voldemort forced me', but no one believed him. I told him he had been passing information on to Voldemort for a year before you both died."

"He was passing on information for a year before we died!" James said.

"Yeah," Sirius said.

"I had no idea," James said, shocked. He was never one to suspect his friends.

"No one did," Sirius said. "Though I think Dumbledore had some idea."

"That man never ceases to amaze me," James said.

"He is so mysterious," Sirius said, "he never gives reasons for what he is doing."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he isn't an amazing wizard," Lily said.

"I never said he wasn't," Sirius said. "His methods just annoy me sometimes; that's all."

James shrugged.

"I guess I never thought about it that way before," he said.

"Me neither," Lily said. "But let's talk about that later. What was Peter's reaction?"

"More pleading and lying to cover his own ass," Siruis said.

"While Peter was freaking out, Hermione asked Remus why Peter hadn't tried to hurt Harry."

"Peter immediately used this to make up more excuses, but I told Harry, Ron and Hermione of Peter's cowardly ways. How committing murder for a broken wizard was not in his interest."

"Next Hermione addressed me as Mr. Black and totally threw me off. She wanted to know how I had escaped Azkaban."

"So I told her. Everything from escaping to watching Harry play Quidditch."

"I told Harry he flew as well as you did, James. And at long last Harry believed me."

"So that's how you got him to understand," James said, thinking the story was over or at least that part of it.

"Yeah," Sirius said.

"So how did you go from there to locked in your parents' house?" Lily asked.

"Well, you see—" Sirius began.

"But you said something about a Hippogriff too," Cedric interrupted, "When does that happen?"

"And if Harry believed you why didn't Peter turn up here years ago!" James asked. No one caught the note of pain in his voice.

"The story isn't over yet!" Sirius said, annoyed. "Shhhh!"

They all fell silent.

"Peter treated Harry's nod as his own death sentence, and started begging for mercy."

"But no one listened… except Harry."

"Peter begged Harry by bringing up you, James. Peter said that you wouldn't have wanted him killed. He said you would have shown him mercy."

"He was right about one thing then," James said.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"I wouldn't have wanted my two best friends to murder my other friend no matter the circumstances," James said.

"Funnily enough," Sirius said, "that is exactly what happens next."

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"Harry stepped in and stopped us from killing Peter," Sirius said, "Harry said he was doing it because he didn't think his father would have wanted us to become killers just for Peter."

"And he was right," James said, smiling. "So that answers the question of why Peter isn't here."

"Yep," Sirius said somewhat unhappily. Despite what James said, he still wished Peter was dead.

"I am also glad Harry stopped you," Lily said. "It is the living who are obsessed with revenge, not the dead."

"How can you say that?" Sirius said. "Weren't you mad?"

"Of course we were mad," James said. "Mad, sad, confused, hurt, relieved, betrayed and all sorts of other things I don't have words for."

"But," Lily said, adding to her husband's thoughts, "our most powerful emotion was grief. I will never know the man my son grows into. I will never be able to hug him or ask him how his day was. All I get is what I am told by others."

Sirius didn't have anything to say to that.

"Hate isn't healthy, Sirius," James said. "All it does is eat at you. You spend enough time here you will learn that."

"Maybe," Sirius said. "But I don't think I will ever be able to forgive Peter."

"It's not like we forgive him," Lily said. "We just don't have the energy to hate him."

"What's the difference?"

"I am not sure how to tell you," James said. "You will see one day."

Sirius made a face as if to say 'I doubt it', but didn't say anything.

"New question," Cedric said, raising his hand. "If everything was resolved in the Shrieking Shack, why wasn't it known that you were innocent?"

"We never made it to the castle," Sirius said sadly.

"What happened?" James asked, reading the regret on his friend's face.

"Harry said Peter should go to Azkaban," Sirius said. "So we headed back up to the castle."

"As we walked back through the passage, Harry and I talked. I asked him if he knew I was his godfather. When he said yes, I asked him to come and live with me."

"Harry was so enthusiastic about coming to live with me that for a while I wasn't sure he knew what I was talking about," Sirius said happily.

"He asked me if I had a house and when he could move in. I was amazed." Sirius said, smiling now.

"So Harry doesn't like living with my sister then?" Lily asked.

"No," Sirius said. "But didn't you know that already?"

"We knew he was living with them and guessed he wasn't happy, but we didn't know for sure."

"Well, I know for sure," Sirius said. "He doesn't have to spend his whole summers there, though."

"Well, at least there is that," Lily said.

"And it's not like they mistreat him," Sirius said, trying to get the mournful look off Lily's face. "They just don't care about him."

This did nothing to boost Lily's spirits however.

"Did you think your sister would be a better aunt?" James asked. "Even to a wizard?"

"She is my sister," Lily said, "I know we never really saw eye to eye, but I thought she would have at least been… I don't know, better."

"Harry said she was better than his uncle," Sirius said, again trying to cheer Lily up.

Lily smiled weakly at Sirius but said nothing.

Sirius, remembering Lily's appreciation of his story, decided the best way to cheer her up was to continue.

"Remus hadn't taken his potion that night," Sirius said, "so when the clouds shifted and the moon was exposed, he changed."

"I pulled Remus as far away from the others as I could; then I went back to them and Harry told me that Peter was gone. He had transformed."

"I immediately ran off in the direction Harry pointed. If Peter wasn't found I wouldn't be free, and I hadn't realized how badly I wanted my freedom until Harry had agreed to live with me."

"But when I was searching for Peter I felt the cold I knew all too well. I crumpled to my knees and turned back into a man. It didn't matter now."

"Right before I passed out, I saw Harry and Hermione show up. Harry managed to conjure a shadowy Patronus, but I saw it die as I passed out."

"The next thing I knew, I woke up in a cell in the castle."

"What?" Cedric said. "How did you get away from the Dementors?"

"I will get there," Sirius said.

"Dumbledore came to me when I was locked in the tower," Sirius said. "He asked me to recount everything and I did. Everything from how we became Animagi to what had happened tonight. And by some miracle he believed me. Though I still don't quite know why he believed me."

"Who is there?" came a voice from behind James.

Everyone turned to face the newcomer.

The witch standing before them now did not look old, but since no one did in Limbo this did not help them to determine her age. She had an aura of leadership to her and was looking about with wide eyes.

The witch hadn't noticed her own hands, but she had seen them.

"Where is this place?" she asked, confused. "Who are you people? Why do you look so weird?"

"This place is Limbo," James said, "I am James and this is Lily, Cedric and Sirius. And you look just as weird as us."

The woman looked down at herself and jumped.

"What is going on?" she asked once she was done marvelling at her new appearance.

"What is your name?" James asked.

"Bones," the women said, "Amelia Bones. I am Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"Wow," Sirius said. "Things must be getting really bad if they managed to kill you."

James gave Sirius a look to shut him up.

Informing people of their own passing had been Lily and James's for lack of a better term 'job' since arriving in Limbo over a decade ago. Sirius had been here a month; he didn't get a say. That had not at all been a tactful way of telling someone of their own passing.

Luckily for Sirius, Amelia was not a witch easily perturbed.

"Oh well, at least that makes more sense," she said.

"What do you mean," Lily asked.

"Well, the last thing I remember was fighting You-Know-Who's supporters."

"Really?" Cedric asked. "What happened?"

"I lost," Amelia said, simply.

"That's it?" Cedric asked. "You lost?"

"Well, I am here with four dead people, aren't I?" Amelia said. "How could I have possibly won?"

"Well, yeah, I knew that," Cedric said. "But what actually happened?

"I fought off the first wave of Death Eaters, but they must have called for back-up, because not long after they left he-who-must-not-be-named came and killed me himself."

"Wow!" Cedric said.

"I don't know what you are so impressed about, boy," Amelia said.

"You must have been really important for Voldemort to kill you himself," Cedric said.

Amelia didn't flinch at the name, but she didn't use it either.

"I still don't see why you are impressed," Amelia said. "It isn't as though I won or anything."

"Yeah, but you put up a fight," Cedric said.

"Of course I put up a fight," Amelia said, insulted. "What other choices did I have?"

Before Cedric could say anything else James cut in.

"On a different topic," James said, "I think we should tell Amelia what her choices are."

"Oh, right," Lily said. "Well, see you have—"

But Lily was interrupted by Amelia turning to Sirius, and saying "First I have something to say to you."

Sirius braced himself for a 'how could you have betrayed our secrets to Voldemort' speech.

"On behalf of the Ministry of Magic, I would like to extend our deepest regret for all the wrongs you suffered due to our lack of information."

"How do you know I am innocent?"

"Since you died on Ministry of Magic premise a full investigation was conducted during which we realized you would not have fought and died for our side had you been a Death Eater. Also Dumbledore was able to gather in tell that Pettigrew was still alive through one of his spies in You-Know-Who's ranks."

"Are you kidding me," Sirius said softly.

"No, I am not."

"You are telling me that only after I am dead the wizarding world knows the truth!" Sirius said more loudly.

"Yes."

"Why couldn't you realize this while I was locked up in my parent's house for a year going stir crazy?" Sirius was shouting now.

"Again the Ministry would like to apologize—"

"I think my life should be a joke book," Sirius said, gloomily interrupting Amelia, all the anger in him suddenly extinguished as if by an internal battle.

"At least they figured it out eventually," Lily said kindly.

"Yeah, but not soon enough for me to enjoy it," Sirius said miserably. He moved slowly away from the group to sulk on his own.

"I was wondering why you didn't freak out when you saw him," Cedric said, chuckling. "Most people are amazed we even speak to him."

"Yes, well," Amelia said in a crisp voice.

"I think it's best just to leave him," James said. "Now, Lily, what were you saying?"

"Oh, yes," Lily said, turning her gaze from Sirius's retreating back to Amelia. "This place is called Limbo and it is where wizards or people killed directly by wizards go when they die. This is where you make the choice. Stay here, return to earth as a ghost, or go on and see what lies beyond death."

"That seems straight forward enough," said Amelia. "But why are you still here?"

James and Lily looked at each other as if to say 'why does everyone always ask us that!' but Lily answered kindly enough considering.

"Waiting for news of Harry," Lily said. "Someone must remain in Limbo at all times, but since we have been here for the last fourteen years no one else has had to wait."

"That is quite a sacrifice," Amelia said. "I am not sure I could do it."

"I sometimes wonder how we do it," James said.

"I don't know much about your son, but I did attend his disciplinary hearing at the beginning of last year."

"Why did he have a disciplinary hearing?" Lily asked.

"He used magic outside school," Amelia said. "The Patronus charm to be precise."

"What? Why?" Lily asked. "When?"

"It was just last summer," Amelia said, choosing to answer only the last question, as she wasn't quite sure what Lily had meant by the first two.

"Could you tell me what shape Harry's Patronus took?" Lily asked, after a pause in which she organized her thoughts.

"A stag," Amelia said. "Harry said that it always was a stag."

Lily put a hand to her mouth and looked at her husband.

"Me," James said in a soft voice.

"Oh, yeah," Sirius said, coming back to the group just in time to catch what was last said. "Sorry I forgot to tell you."

Lily turned from James to Sirius, her expression changing from awe to annoyance in the blink of an eye.

"How could you forget something like that!" she said.

"Sorry," Sirius said, "I was just so used to Harry's Patronus being a stag I didn't think about it."

"Do you want to hear the story then?" Ameila said. "Or should I just leave?"

"No," Lily said quickly, now turning from Sirius to Amelia. "Please tell us."

And so Amelia told them the story of Harry's hearing.

She told them how she had tried to be fair. How Umbridge had not been. How Dumbledore showed up to represent Harry. How she herself had been impressed by his ability to produce a fully-fledged Patronus and not just silvery mist. And how she had been impressed further when he said he had produced them before.

She told the Potters all she knew of their son and then, having chosen to go on rather than wait for news, she left.


	9. Ch9: Humor in Horror

**Chapter Nine: Humor in Horror**

"Okay, Sirius," Cedric said, as soon as Amelia had left. "What do you think?"

"Of what?"

"Amelia."

Sirius just looked at Cedric, non-pulsed.

"Well, you said you called dibs on the next hot cloud girl, remember?" Cedric said.

"Oh, right," Sirius said, half laughing.

He had actually totally forgotten about what he had said, but he wasn't about to tell Cedirc that.

"She was just a bit too Ministry of Magic stiff for me," Sirius said. "And it didn't help that I was upset over the stupid Ministry-only-figuring-things-out-after-I-died thing."

James chuckled.

Lily, though very thankful that Amelia told them all she knew of Harry, was now anxious to hear more of Sirius's tale.

"How did you get out of the tower?" Lily asked Sirius.

"So it's back to the story then, is it?" Sirius said. Lily nodded.

"Just in the nick of time Harry and Hermione showed up outside my window on the back of a Hippogriff named Buckbeak," Sirius said. "I flew away on Buckbeak and went into hiding after that, but I had no idea how Harry and Hermione had pulled it off."

"That is until much later when Dumbledore spent a night at Grimmauld Place and I asked him."

"Harry and Hermione got me out of that tower by using Hermione's Time-Turner to first rescue Buckbeak from his execution and then fly him up to the tower."

"They used a time-turner?" Lily asked. "Where did they get one?"

"Hermione had been using one all year to get to her lessons," Sirius said. "Apparently she wanted to take so many classes that traveling through time was the only way she could pull it off." Sirius chuckled.

"Suddenly I feel inadequate," Cedric said.

Sniggering Sirius said, "She has that effect on a lot of people."

"But this Hermione seems to be much more mature about her cleverness than we were, Sirius," James said.

"Yeah, she is," Sirius said, his laughter dying.

"I knew you weren't in that tower for long," Cedric said, "'cause I never heard about it. But I am still confused as to how you all got away from the Dementors."

"Harry did it," Sirius said.

"But you said he passed out?" Lily said, sceptical that such a young person could perform such advanced magic.

"He did," Sirius said. "Or at least that Harry did."

"What do you mean?"

"It was Harry's future self that did it to save his past self, me, and Hermione."

"Harry can produce a Patronus that is powerful enough to drive away an entire field of Dementors!" Lily asked, amazed.

"Why are you so shocked?" Cedric asked. "Amelia told us Harry could do that."

"She said that Harry has produced a Patronus many times, not that he had driven away so many Dementors," Lily said.

"What's the difference?" Cedric asked.

"It gets harder and harder the more Dementors you are fighting," Lily said, "and Amelia was talking about when Harry was fifteen, but in Sirius's story Harry is thirteen."

"That is just too much Harry for me," Cedric said, amused. "How do you keep it straight?"

"Being a parent makes you crazy," Lily said.

"Apparently."

"Do you think the time travel made it easier?" Lily asked. "I mean the first time Harry did the spell he had already done it."

"I don't know," Sirius said. "But as far as I am concerned it doesn't change anything."

"Yeah, I agree" James said. "Either way it is quite an accomplishment for a thirteen year old, no matter the circumstances."

"It is quite an accomplishment for an adult wizard too," Sirius said, pride in his voice now. "There are lots of fully-grown and qualified wizards who can't even produce silvery mist. Let alone conjure a fully-fledged Partonus in a field of Demenotors on their first try."

"What do you mean his first try?" Lily asked. "You said he had practiced with Remus and the Boggart."

"Yeah, but this was Harry's first time conjuring a Patronus with actual Dementors around instead of a Boggart pretending to be a Dementor."

"That's amazing," Lily said softly with perhaps more pride in her voice than Sirius had had.

"Not to be a spoil sport or anything," Cedric said after a pause. "But how did you befriend Harry if you were in hiding?"

"What, all the talk of Harry's wonderful deeds making you jealous?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe," Cedric said, though he knew the correct answer was yes, "but I am also annoyed that you keep interrupting yourself. What does a guy have to do to get a completed story around here anyway?"

Sirius laughed.

"When I was on the run, Harry and I exchanged letters. I sent him one, right before he got back to his aunt and uncle's, saying I had gone into hiding. And I enclosed a note giving him permission to go to Hogsmeade on weekends."

"I also told him, wait I forgot to tell you, I bought Harry a Firebolt broom and sent it to him anonymously for Christmas the year I escaped. Crookshanks took the note into the owl office for me."

"The cat again, huh?" Cedric said. "Man, what would you have done without that cat?"

Sirius gave Cedric a funny look.

"Anyway," Sirius said, "I told Harry in that letter that I had sent him the Firebolt."

"Firebolt, huh," James said, sighing. "I remember when people were excited over the Clean Sweep Seven."

"Me too, mate," Sirius said. "Though I also remember when people were excited about the Nimbus 2001, so I guess nothing stays new and cool forever."

"Brooms again," Lily said, exasperated. "Really? Why do you people seem to care about them so much anyway?"

"If you don't get it, I don't think I can explain it to you," James said. "It is like art; you either get it or you don't."

Cedric nodded his approval of James's metaphor, while Lily rolled her eyes at both of them.

"I don't think she is ever going to get it, mate," Sirius said. "We are all dead and it still doesn't change anything."

"You are probably right," James said.

"I may not care about Quidditch or brooms, but I do care about the fate of my son," Lily said pointedly, looking at Sirius.

"Our son!" James said. "And of course I care more about Harry than brooms! How dare you!"

"I didn't mean that," Lily said. "I just wanted Sirius to keep telling his story! Relax, James. I know."

"Good," James said firmly.

"Right," Sirius said. "Harry wrote me over the summer when his scar hurt. I told him to tell Dumbledore about it. I was also in correspondence with Dumbledore while I was in hiding. We talked of Harry's scar hurting him and if it would be safe for me to stay closer to Harry."

"Dumbledore thought it would be and suggested a cave I could hide in. And he also said that the Ministry was looking for me in the Bahamas."

"Why on earth would the Ministry be looking for you in the Bahamas?" James asked.

"Well, I did spend some time there while I was trying to get a Muggle to glimpse me far away from Hogwarts. It's actually a funny story 'cause while I was there—"

"So you don't know why they thought you were there then?" Lily interrupted.

Sirius looked a little annoyed, but answered anyway, "Maybe Dumbledore fed them false information or something?"

"It seems like you owe a lot to Dumbledore," James said.

"Yeah, I guess I do," Sirius said, "Though I would say that I owe more to Harry for believing me in the first place. So can I finish my funny story now?"

"Only if it is about Harry," Lily said.

Sirius wasn't happy about this.

"Don't worry, mate, I will let you tell me all the non-Harry stuff after," James said. Sirius looked happier.

"Whenever I wrote to Harry I asked him to be careful and just focus on the problems within the castle. I told him to worry about the Tournament and not everything else. But he still seemed to worry a lot about what happened outside of school."

"Why?" Cedric asked.

Sirius shrugged.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione came to visit me in Hogsmeade once and we talked of the Triwizard Tournament and Karkaroff. At the time, I thought he was the one who had it in for Harry."

"What do you mean 'at the time'?" Lily asked.

"The only person I could think of that could have put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire, before we knew who it really was, was Karkaroff."

"You mean that you found out who it was then?" Cedric asked.

"Of course we found out who it was," Sirius said. "What kind of story do you think it would have been if we hadn't figured out who it was?"

"Yeah, but this isn't a story," Cedric said. "This is your life."

"Oh, right," Sirius said. "Sometimes it feels like my life is so screwed up it should be a book."

"I think you would be more important in the book than me, since your life is so much more messed up than mine," James said teasingly.

"Oh and didn't you already say your life should be a joke book?" Cedric said, helping James. "So what is your life then: joke or story?"

"My life is a comedy," Sirius said, annoyed but playing along, "'cause that is both a story and a joke."

Cedric and James sniggered. Lily was not amused. Luckily for Lily, Sirius was sick of all the teasing.

"So should I keep going with the comedy that is my life," Sirius said, over James and Cedric's continued snickering, "or should we just keep making fun of poor Sirius and his messed up existence?"

Lily gave Sirius a look that he interpreted as 'why would you ask me such a stupid question?'

"So that's Lily's vote," Sirius said, "What about you two?"

But before either Cedric or James could say anything, Lily quickly said, "Their vote is yes too."

"Why do you have to ruin all our fun?" Cedric asked Lily.

She smiled smugly to herself.

James and Cedric stopped laughing. They looked a little downcast, but to be fair they could have just been milking it.

"Though Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't visit me very often in Hogsmeade, Harry remembered to send me food by owl on a regular basis. Bless him," Sirius said fondly. "Or at least he did as long as I was there, which turned out to be most of his fourth year at Hogwarts."

"Why was it only for a year?" Lily asked.

"Well, as you very well know, Voldemort came back at the end of Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts."

"Yeah, but why did that mean you had to leave?"

"Peter told Voldemort about my little turning into a dog trick, so my disguise was useless."

"So what you're saying is that you could hide from the Ministry at Hogwarts but not the Death Eaters?" James said.

"Yeah, I guess so," Sirius said.

"So that's why you ended up at your parents' old house," James said with an air of understanding.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "But that is jumping ahead."

"One of his letters would have been too complicated to answer," Sirius continued, "so I sent him back a response with a time and place I would appear in the fire."

"We were cut short and I never got to tell him how to defeat a dragon," Sirius said. "He did amazingly well on his own however. He sent me an owl depicting how he had bested the dragon the very next day."

"I didn't get to see Harry's fight," Cedric said, disgruntled. "I was in the medical tent, getting purple goo put on my burns." Cedric rubbed his face where the burns had been.

"You can't still feel them can you?" James asked incredulously.

"Can you even be injured here?" Sirius asked.

"No, of course not," Cedric said; James and Sirius weren't sure who he was answering till he continued. "Madam Pomfrey fixed me right away. I was just remembering."

"Good," James said. "For a second there I was thinking Hogwarts medical care had gone just as wrong as the Ministry."

Cedric chuckled, "Like Dumbledore would let that happen."

"True," James said, then turning to Sirius he said, "So, mate, what else were you doing besides writing letters?"

"Not a heck of a lot," Sirius said, sadly. "Sometimes I ran around Hogsmeade as a dog to pass the time, but I couldn't do it that much or people would get suspicious. When I wasn't writing or reading letters I was mostly looking after Buckbeak or just staying hidden in my cave."

"So you were having about as much fun as we were then?" James said, smiling.

"Yeah, but I could still eat and age and stuff," Sirius said.

"Yeah, aging," James said sarcastically, "big turn on."

Sirius gave James a nasty look that did not achieve the desired effect; James burst out laughing.

"So," Lily said, "you were doing just as much as us only with a few creature comforts?"

"I guess you could put it like that," Sirius said, "though it was still a much better year than the next one."

"How could being in your parents' old house be worse than on the run?" Lily asked.

"Trust me," James said, before Sirius could speak, "it can."

Lily dropped the topic.

"How did Harry best the dragon?" Lily asked instead.

"Harry managed to get around the wands-only thing by using his wand to summon his broomstick."

"That was smart," James said. "I don't think I would have thought of that."

"To be perfectly honest I think he got the idea from someone else, but more on that later," Sirius said. "Once he had his broom he was amazing. He teased the dragon till she flew up off the ground; then he dived for the egg.

"He did all that when he was fourteen?" Lily asked, amazed.

Sirius nodded.

"Hey, I could have done that when I was fourteen too you know," James said.

"Yeah, but you would have spent the next two months bragging about it, mate," Sirius said with a slight laugh, "whereas Harry was modest."

"I don't know if modest is the word," Cedric said. "He got a lot of attention."

"Anything would be modest compared to James," Sirius said, grinning.

"Ha ha ha," James said, "Like you were such a saint."

"Boys!" Lily said. "I know you were both jerks; can we please move on?"

"Okay, fine," Sirius said. "So now I am going to refer to Cedric."

Sirius turned to Cedric.

"Why?" Cedric asked.

"You must know more about the Tournament than I do."

"Okay," Cedric said, warily.

And Cedric filled the Potters in on everything to do with the Tournament that he could think of. Of course he had already told them much of this over the last year in Limbo, but now he elaborated a little more.

Cedric stopped when he and Harry were both in the graveyard holding their wands aloft.

"This is where I come in again," Sirius said, taking back the spotlight, "Before you went very far Harry heard someone say 'kill the spare' and then you…"

"Died," Cedric said theatrically. He faked a falsely distraught faint.

"That was great," Sirius said chuckling, then turning to James he added, "I can see why you get along so well with this one."

Cedric beamed, happy to have won over Sirius. James also looked pleased but Lily didn't, so Sirius continued his story.

Sirius said, "Peter tied Harry to a headstone and started making a potion. He added a small bundle, which was Voldemort, then some—"

"What do you mean the bundle was Voldemort?" Cedric asked.

"I mean that under Wormtail's clumsy care Voldemort was able to create a small childlike body for himself."

"Okay, so why did he dump it into a cauldron then?"

"It is all part of the spell that brought his body back," Sirius said.

"By drowning him?" Cedric said.

"No, but now that you mention it I guess it would have looked like that," Sirius said thoughtfully.

"Anyway, so then Wormtail added some bone from a grave nearby and some of Harry's blood. Next—"

"He took Harry's blood!" Lily said, shocked.

"Yes," Sirius said. "Why do you think Voldemort wanted Harry there in the first place?"

Lily fell silent. She hadn't realized that was why Voldemort had wanted Harry.

"Then Peter cut off his own hand and added it to the cauldron too."

Everyone flinched.

"Yeah, I know, right," Sirius said. "When the cauldron was done sparking Voldemort emerged fully formed and kinda naked."

"Eww," Cedric, Lily and James said together.

"Yep, eww would be the word," Sirius said. "Thankfully Peter wrapped a cloak around Voldemort."

"I never thought I would say this," James said, "but thank you, Peter!"

Everyone laughed.

"Then Voldemort proceeded to call back all his old supporters by touching the Dark Mark on Peter's forearm." Sirius decided not to tell them what this did to Harry.

"Voldemort spoke to the Death Eaters. Harry heard all the Death Eaters' names."

"Voldemort gave Harry back his wand to duel Harry in front of the other Death Eaters."

"But as we all know, Harry and Voldemort's wands connected and they were lifted up away from the other Death Eaters."

"Harry was able to force Voldemort's wand to be the one tormented into revealing its last spells."

"You all appeared within the circle and you know the rest. Oh and, Cedric, if you are wondering Harry did manage to get your body back to your parents."

Cedric smiled warmly. "I knew he would."

"You asked him to…" Lily said, shocked, "but what if he had not been able to escape, because he was trying to take you with him?"

"I knew he could do it," Cedric said. "I knew he would be okay when I came out of that wand. Just like you said you knew how he could save himself."

"Oh," Lily said, the shocked look on her face fading.

"This meant that when Harry arrived at school he was clutching your dead body," Sirius said, looking at Cedric.

"Well, that sounds awfully unpleasant."

Everyone jumped about a foot in the air and then turned to see a new arrival.


	10. Ch10: Undecided

**Chapter Ten: Undecided**

"Why are you talking about people clutching dead bodies?" asked a witch.

"It is a long story," Lily said.

"Well, since I don't see anything else here, how could you possibly have something else to do," said the witch calmly.

"So does that mean you know where you are?" Cedric asked.

"Goodness, no," said the witch. "But I do have eyes and this doesn't look like my house."

"What is your name?" James asked.

"Emmeline Vance."

"Weren't you in the Order back when we were?" James asked.

"And you would be?"

"James Potter."

"No really?" asked Emmeline.

"Yes really," James said. "And this is Lily, Sirius and Cedric."

Emmeline just stared.

"But you're dead," she said. "You died almost fifteen years ago."

"Yes, we did," James said including Lily in his statement. "And Cedric died a little over a year ago and Sirius here died, ah, recently."

"Don't you mean a month ago," Emmeline said.

"If you say so," Sirius said. "It sure hasn't felt like a month to me."

"Really?" Emmeline asked. "And why is that?"

"I'm dead?" Sirius said cautiously.

"I think I remember something…" As she spoke her voice faded away like she was deep in thought.

"What do you remember?" Lily asked kindly, though she was secretly annoyed at Emmeline for once again interrupting the story she so wanted to hear.

"So I am dead too then," Emmeline said, ignoring Lily's question. "I should have guessed as much."

"Why?"

"The last thing I remember is fighting Death Eaters," Emmeline said calmly and then added in a bemused voice, "and this whole place looks like a bouncy castle."

"Bouncy castle," Sirius said chuckling. "That's great!"

"Yes, quite," said Emmeline.

Sirius, remembering Cedric teasing him about Amelia Bones, was checking out Emmeline. Though he remembered her to be very lined and weathered from fighting dark wizards all her life, now that she was here she looked much better.

He had just decided that she might be a little too stiff for him despite the bouncy castle comment when James spoke up.

"So, Emmeline," James said.

Emmeline turned from Sirius to James and said, "Yes?"

"You have already guessed you are dead, however that does not mean the end or at least we think it doesn't," James said.

"Well, that was cryptic," Emmeline said. "When you died did you turn into Dumbledore or something?" She chuckled at her own joke.

Sirius was starting to think maybe he had been wrong about her.

"Anyway," James said, "so you have three choices."

"More decisions," Emmeline said mournfully. "Even after death. Does it never end?"

Now Sirius was thinking he should keep her around to laugh at his jokes.

Lily was thinking she would be dead again before she heard the end of Sirius's story.

James just sighed. Cedric thought the whole thing was highly amusing.

"Yes," James said. "Just one more choice and that's it though. So as I was saying—"

"Well, at least that's something," Emmeline said, interrupting James. "I was never very good at making decisions. Become an Auror or be a Banker, have coffee or tea with breakfast, do guard duty or stay home. It didn't matter how big the decision was, I just never was very good at them."

"But you're an Auror," Cedric said, confused. "They have to make life and death decisions all the time."

"That was different," Emmeline said. "That felt more like instinct. I was just never good at making decisions to do with my own life." She sighed.

"Okay, but I still need to tell you your choices even if you don't want to choose one," James said.

"Alright, fine," Emmeline said, resigned.

James recounted the three choices for what felt to him like the millionth time.

"Go on, stay here or be a ghost," Emmeline repeated. James and Lily nodded.

Sirius had moved closer to Emmeline as she and James talked.

"If you stay here I will make it worth your while," Sirius said in what he hoped was a suave manner. He was very out of practice.

James burst out laughing. Cedric hid a grin behind his hands, but Lily just looked put out, as if Sirius had done this just to keep her from hearing the rest of his story.

Oddly enough it was Emmeline that had the smallest reaction to Sirius's attempt to flirt with her.

"That is just one more decision I don't want to have to make," she said.

Sirius looked like a beaten puppy, though to be fair he may have been acting it up a little.

Okay maybe a lot.

"Incorporeal people can't eat," Emmeline said to herself. "They can't change. But at least I know what would happen. This going on thing looks dubious and staying here…"

Emmeline had just realized everyone was watching her. She had not noticed, since she had been staring at her hands counting off pros and cons for each of the decisions.

"Wait a minute," she said. "Why are you still here?"

Lily and James recounted again how they were waiting for news of Harry. It seemed to them that everyone that came here asked them this and they were starting—okay more than starting—to get tired of it. Or maybe they were just getting tired in general.

"Well, I met Harry once," Emmeline said, "though we didn't actually speak as far as I remember. I was part of his advance guard when he was moved from his aunt and uncle's to the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix last year."

"I remember that," Sirius said, "though Dumbledore wouldn't let me go."

"Yes, well, you were supposed to remain hidden," Emmeline said.

Sirius just looked annoyed.

"Anyway," Emmeline said, "it wasn't a very interesting event. We didn't face any resistance except rain."

"At least you were able to leave the house," Sirius grumbled.

"Yes and a great advantage that was to me," Emmeline said sarcastically.

Sirius didn't have anything to say to that. After a moment, Lily broke the silence.

"Is that all you know of Harry?" Lily asked.

"Yes," Emmeline said. "Sorry."

Lily smiled at her, showing that she was grateful for whatever Emmeline could tell her.

Emmeline smiled back.

"I wish you all lots of happy news," she said. "But I think I should be going."

When she didn't disappear after a few moments, Lily said, "You're still not sure then?"

"I guess not," Emmeline said. "Or I would have left already." She sighed and then added, "So what were you talking about when I showed up?"

"My death," Cedric said.

"Well, no actually," Lily said, "We were talking about Harry, but since he witnessed your death it is part of the story."

"You really know how to make someone feel important," Cedric said sarcastically.

Lily, realizing her mistake, apologized. But Cedric hadn't really been upset and he told her with nothing more than a smile.

"I think you people have been spending way too much time together," Emmeline said.

"What makes you say that?" Sirius said.

"You don't even have to speak anymore to communicate," Emmeline said.

They all smiled together and creeped Emmeline out further.

"Okay, now I am sure," she said. "I do not want to end up like you people." And with that she vanished.

"What is so wrong with us?" Cedric asked.

Sirius laughed. "Nothing," he said. "That is just how she is."

"How do you know?"

"'Cause I was the only permanent resident of the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix for a year," Sirius said. "I met all of them."

"What do you mean 'the only permanent resident'?"

"I think," Lily said, seeing an opportunity and taking it, "that he will get there in due course if we just let him continue."

"Yeah," Sirius said eager to be the center of attention once again.

"Fine," Cedric said. James nodded.

"Right," Sirius said, "so Harry just appeared with your body in tow."

"Naturally everyone freaked out when they saw that particular scene. It really didn't look good in the Harry-is-innocent department, so I can't _really_ blame them."

"I can blame them," Lily said firmly. "How could they think Harry killed someone!"

"Well," Sirius said, "they aren't his mother."

"So true," James said with a wide grin on his face.

Everyone except Lily laughed.

"I had come to watch the final task, as a dog of course," Sirius continued once the laughter ended, "So I got to see the whole effect of both Harry's disappearance and reappearance on the students and staff."

"I never had and never again did see Dumbledore so lost. He had no idea where Harry was and therefore couldn't even begin to figure out how to get him back."

"Harry wasn't actually gone for long, but it felt like forever."

"Right away when Harry got back, Mad-Eye pulled Harry aside and took him to his office."

"What!" Lily said, unable to stop herself. "How could Mad-Eye take Harry out of Dumbledore's sight after something like that!"

"That was Dumbledore's reaction too," Sirius said. "He followed Mad-Eye and found him with his wand on Harry."

Three shocked faces stared at Sirius as he continued.

"It turned out that Mad-Eye was not Mad-Eye at all but Barty Crouch Jr."

"But that makes no sense," James said. "How could that possibly be true?"

"Crouch had been taking Polyjuice potion all year," Sirius said, "every hour for a year."

"That is beyond dedication!" Cedric said. "Not only to remember to take it which is enough in my opinion, but that stuff is supposed to be really gross tasting."

"It is only as gross as the person you are drinking," James said.

"Okay, but still," Cedric said, "he must have been crazy to want to live a double life for a whole year!"

"Maybe," Sirius said, "but it was his dedication to Voldemort that made him do it."

"I can't imagine being that dedicated to anything," Cedric said.

"I don't think most people can," Sirius said.

"So that is what Voldemort did with the information he took from Bertha Jorkins then," Lily said.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "And he used Peter to help liberate Crouch."

"But for all of Crouch's efforts he was a little forgetful in all his excitement that night. He forgot to take his potion as often as he should of."

"He turned back into Crouch while unconscious on his office floor in front of Dumbledore, Harry and Winky."

"Dumbledore used Veritaserum to make him explain all about how he had escaped Azkaban, found Voldemort and impersonated Mad-Eye."

"Dumbeldore then told Fudge everything, and once Fudge heard all of it he set the Dementor on Crouch."

"But that happened just after I died," Cedric said. "Shouldn't Crouch have showed up here if he died?"

"I don't think there was anything left of him to come to Limbo," Sirius said.

Lily shivered.

"There are worse things than death," she whispered as if to herself.

"Once Dumbledore knew everything he sent McGonagall for me, though she had no idea who I was. I think Dumbledore just told her to go get this dog, bring it to his office and tell the dog he would be there soon."

Sirius smiled to himself at the level of weirdness Dumbledore's staff seemed to expect from him.

"If you only were called onto the scene then," Cedric said. "How do you know everything that happened before?"

"I asked around later and people told me," Sirius said. "I am just filling you in in order instead of how I experienced it."

"Oh," Cedric said. "But you weren't before. You were leaving us in suspense."

"Well, sorry!" Sirius said, exasperated. "Maybe next time you could tell me when you want to be filled in and when you don't!"

Lily gave both Cedric and Sirius a look that plainly said, can it!

"Right, so," Sirius said, "this is when I listened to Harry tell the whole story of the graveyard to Dumbledore. It was horrible," Sirius said in a pained voice.

"So what was it for me," Cedric said, "a picnic?"

"I didn't mean it wasn't bad for you," Sirius said. "I meant that listening to Harry talk about it was hard to hear."

"Humph," Cedric said, feeling unappreciated.

Lily was fed up with them all but didn't know how to go about telling them without making them go further off topic.

Luckily for Lily, the boys knew the drill by now.

"Let me guess," Sirius said, after looking at Lily's face. "You want me to keep going?"


	11. Ch11: Hatred before Inquiry

**Chapter Eleven: Hatred before Inquiry**

"After Harry told me and Dumbledore everything, he went to the hospital wing to sleep, but not before Dumbledore made Molly and Snape aware of my presence."

"Really Snape?" James asked.

"Yep," Sirius said gloomily. "I had to shake his hand."

"How did you ever get it clean again?" James said before he could stop himself.

Once he realized his mistake he looked at Lily expecting… something, but Lily was too wrapped in the story to care.

"What do you mean by made them aware of your presence?" she asked.

"I mean that he told me to turn back into a man in front of Molly and Snape."

"But wouldn't that mean you would be exposed," James asked. "I mean how did they react?"

"Well," Sirius said with a smile, "Molly freaked out quite a lot actually."

"What do you mean freak out?"

"I mean she kept pointing at me and saying 'Sirius Black' while Ron tried to calm her down," Sirius chuckled.

"How did Snape react?" Lily asked.

"He just glared at me," Sirius said disgruntled. "Then Dumbledore told him to be nice—that was when I had to shake his hand—and gave us all jobs to do."

"I had to go tell all the old members of Voldemort's return and ask if they wanted to join the new Order. I then went back and gave the information to Dumbledore."

"But that was all he would let me do for him," Sirius said, grinding his teeth. "That and give them my parents' old house as headquarters."

"How did you manage stuck in that house?" James asked in awe. "I hated being there just to come see you when we were in school."

"It was tolerable when someone was there; like Remus or the Weasleys. Harry, Ron and Hermione were there over the summer and at Christmas.

"But when it was just me, Buckbeak, and Kreacher…" Sirius couldn't think of any words that accurately described his boredom and frustration, thus settled for saying nothing.

"So Kreacher is still hanging in there then?" James said.

"Yep," Sirius said, "But he hates being stuck with us white hats. He was constantly whispering about how he would rather work for the Death Eaters."

"Why though?" Lily said. "Surely the Death Eaters would have treated him worse. I mean you weren't that horrible to him, were you?"

James laughed, remembering Sirius talking about Kreacher back in their school days.

Since Sirius never wanted to take James to his parents' house, James hadn't actually been to Sirius's house for more than a few minutes. Sirius would always insist they go to James's place.

"Sirius being even remotely civil to Kreacher," James said, "not a chance!"

Lily, losing her hopeful look, sighed in surrender.

"It can't have been safe to have a house-elf that hates you knowing all about the Order though, can it?" James asked.

"That is what Dumbledore said," Sirius said. "He said I had to be nice to Kreacher." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"I think Dumbledore was probably right," Lily said.

"Yeah, well," Sirius said, "it doesn't matter now does it."

"I am sure it still matters to someone, but never mind," Lily said.

"If you are dead," Cedric said, thinking about to whom it could still matter, "and you were the owner of the headquarters and of Kreacher then what will happen to them. Won't your death compromise the Order's security?"

"Nah, it won't," Sirius said. "I left everything I own to Harry in my will. He has number 12 and Kreacher."

"But how did you manage that?" James asked. "Your parents must have put a dozen spells on that house to make sure no one but a pure-blood Black could own it."

"Over two dozen actually," Sirius said, "but the one good thing about having too much time on your hands while knowing you are in mortal peril is that you have time to update your will even if your parents are nutters."

"How long did it take?" Cedric asked.

"Not that long really," Sirius said. "What took a while was finding out which spells they used so I could get rid of them."

"I have lost track," Lily said after a moment. "Where were we in the story?"

"I think we were discussing Sirius's boredom," James said, sniggering.

"Well, at least I still got to eat and sleep," Sirius said, annoyed by his friend's sniggering. "I bet you were more bored than I was."

"But I was not stuck in my parents' house," James said.

"Yes, I get it," Lily said. "We were all bored, now back to the—"

"I wasn't bored," Cedric said, interrupting. "I was at school."

Sirius laughed hugely and said, "That's not how I remember school."

"I don't know," James said. "We had some good times."

"Oh, remember that full moon in our sixth year when we were all doing laps around Hogsmeade and that Muggle woman saw us?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah," James said, laughing. "I'll wager a werewolf, a huge black dog and a stag with a rat on its antlers was not a sight she thought she was going to see when she set out on her evening walk."

"If people saw you," Lily said, resigned to finishing this conversation before they moved on, "how come you were never caught?"

"Well, naturally we modified their memories," Sirius said smugly.

"How did you do that?" Lily said. "You were all animals. And you had a werewolf to keep in check!"

"Peter was in charge of memory modification," Sirius said.

"He was the only one who wasn't needed to look after Remus," James said. "And memory spells were one thing he could do relatively well."

"Though," Sirius added, "if it was possible one of us did it. Sometimes Peter messed up."

"Okay then," Lily said, "but how did you carry your wands with you if you were all animals?"

"You really don't want to know," Sirius said.

Lily wasn't sure if Sirius and James were messing with her or not. There was a chance that they had never met the Muggle woman, but there was also a chance she really didn't want to know how they had kept their wands with them.

"Okay," Lily said, deciding to let them have their fun after realizing letting them win might get them back to the story faster, "I don't want to know."

"Then we won't tell you," James and Sirius said together all too smugly.

"Ah huh," Lily said sceptically.

"Man," Cedric said, "you guys must have had way more fun in school than I did."

"Since the very few times I heard about you while I was alive just said you were a nice, rule-abiding kid," Sirius said, "I am certain we had more fun than you."

Cedric sighed, "And where did all my good sense get me in the end? Dead in a graveyard at seventeen, that's where!"

"You weren't the only one who got in trouble that night," Sirius said. "That was the night Karkaroff ran. He felt the Dark Mark and got the heck out of dodge."

"Why!" James said. "He can't have thought he would make it on his own with Voldemort after him?"

"I wasn't thinking like that," came a voice from behind Cedric. "I just didn't see any other options."

They all turned and there was Karkaroff.

"So they got you then," Sirius said.

"Yeah, but they got you first."

"That's only because I didn't run away but fought!"

"Yeah and a fat lot of good it did you too." Karkaroff was yelling.

"At least I can live with myself."

"Ha," Karkaroff said loudly. "This isn't living!"

"So I am guessing you guys don't get along then," Cedric said, tentatively.

Karkaroff and Sirius didn't hear Cedric. Or at least they didn't answer him. They were too busy glaring at each other.

If Sirius hadn't been so busy fighting with Karkaroff, he might have noticed the difference in appearance between Karkaroff and them. They were all younger and almost glowing while he looked old and dull.

"If you don't want to be here you coward," Sirius said, "leave."

"I don't even know where here is! How am I supposed to know how to leave?"

Sirius waved a hand at Lily and stormed off.

Lily gave Karkaroff his choices.

"Screw this," Karkaroff said. "I'm goin' on."

And with that he vanished.

Though none of them noticed, Karkaroff's departure did not go as smoothly as most.

Sirius came back to the group.

"What was that about?" James asked Sirius.

"I hate him," Sirius said.

"But how can you?" James asked. "You didn't even know him."

"I know enough," Sirius growled.

"How can you 'know enough'?" Cedric asked. Cedric had only known Karkaroff as Krum's old headmaster and couldn't picture him being as bad as Sirius thought he was.

"I heard all the people he betrayed when I was in Azkaban. They said things in their sleep. And I saw him flee after he felt the Dark Mark burn him."

"Yeah, but he was betraying Death Eaters," Cedric said, "not us."

"It doesn't matter," Sirius said. "I don't like cowards."

"I think it matters," Cedric said.

"A coward is a coward," Sirius said. "He would have betrayed us just as easily as them to save himself."

"You can't know that," Cedric said.

Sirius didn't say anything. He just made a disgruntled sound and gave Cedric a look as if to say 'yes, I can!'

"Well, we will never know now," Cedric said, "since you pissed him off so much he wouldn't stay to talk to us."

"I didn't want to talk to him," Sirius said.

"Ya don't say," Cedric said.

"Enough," Lily said in such a commanding voice that both Cedric and Sirius fell silent.

"I believe that before Karkaroff interrupted us," Lily said, after a moment, "we were discussing Sirius's boring year in his parents' house."

"Right," Sirius said. "So I will try and spare you the worst of the boring stuff."

"Harry started this group that year to teach his fellow students how to fight the dark arts since the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts that year was a Ministry cover-up devil. Man, I would love to see her here."

"Anyway, since the Ministry was checking all the mail and watching the fires, I didn't get to communicate with Harry this year like I had the last."

"But he did call me once from Umbridge's fire to ask about you, James."

"Me?" James said just as Lily said, "Who is Umbridge?"

"She is that Ministry devil I was talking about," Sirius said. "And yes you. Apparently Harry saw a memory of you, James, hanging Snape upside down by the ankles and it freaked him out. When he called me it almost felt like he wanted confirmation that you weren't an ass."

"What?" Lily said. James looked upset but didn't say anything.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "Harry said he wasn't sure why you even married him."

"Well, obviously," Lily said, "I married him because I loved him and he grew out of being an ass." She smiled up at her husband with affection.

"Oh, well, that makes me feel all better," James said sarcastically.

"Sorry," Lily said kindly. "But you were kind of an ass."

Cedric, who had been trying to contain his amusement ever since Sirius had started on this topic, now burst out into uncontrollable laughter.

"It isn't funny!" James said.

"It….totally….is," Cedric said between laughing breaths.

"Did Harry manage to call you at any other point that year?" Lily asked once Cedric's laughing had died down enough that she could be heard.

"No, though I did get a very strange message from Snape towards the end of the year," Sirius said. "He called to ask me if I was home."

"What?" James asked. "Why would he do that?"

"Apparently Harry had a vision of me and told Snape that Voldemort had captured me."

"What?" Lily said. James just looked shocked. Cedric had stopped laughing completely by now.

"That was my reaction too," Sirius said. "But I still don't know what happened. I was killed in the fight to rescue Harry and his friends from the Ministry when they went to rescue me."

"Harry tried to rescue you?" Lily said in a soft voice.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "It shocked me too."

Lily was speechless.

For Harry to risk his friends' lives to rescue Sirius meant that Harry cared a great deal about him, which was good…but now Sirius was here with them. Lily realized that this meant Harry had lost every parent he had ever known.


	12. Ch12: Innocent Suffering

**Chapter Twelve: Innocent Suffering**

"That's it then, huh," Lily asked.

"Yep," Sirius said. "I fell through the curtain while fighting Bellatrix and here I am!"

"But we saw a curtain when you appeared," Lily said.

"You did?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah," James said. "But we didn't know why."

"I was in the Department of Mysteries at the time," Sirius said. "Maybe they were trying to contact Limbo or something."

"But if you got here through that curtain, doesn't that mean they succeeded?" James asked.

"I guess so," Sirius said.

"I don't think there is any way for us to know for sure," Lily said.

"So what now?" Cedric asked.

This remark was followed by blank stares.

"I guess we're back to boring then," James said.

"Now wait just one minute," Sirius said. "I promised to entertain you and I will."

"How?"

"Umm…" Sirius said blankly. "Do you want to play I spy?"

"We have tried that," Lily said. "There is nothing but cloud in every direction."

"Hide and seek?"

"We are on a flat endless surface," James reminded Sirius.

"Right," Sirius said. "So what haven't you tried?"

"If we knew that we wouldn't be bored!" James said. "Wow, you really aren't good at this, are you?"

"Hey!" Sirius said. "I take offence at that!"

Suddenly, a woman appeared right in the middle of their conversation and said, "What are you taking offence at?"

Evidently she had only heard the last thing said.

"Oh, it wasn't anything important," Lily said to the newcomer.

Sirius grumbled; he thought it was important, but he didn't say anything.

"If you say so," said the witch. "Where am I?"

"Limbo," Sirius said. "So who turned you into teddy bear puke?"

"I beg your pardon!" said the witch.

Lily barged in front of Sirius, pushing him aside, and addressed the witch. "Don't mind him. He is just being his normal annoying self."

"Wait just one minute!" the witch said. "That was Sirius Black!"

"Yes, I am," said Sirius, smiling cheekily. "Thanks for noticing."

"But you died!"

"Really," Sirius said in false astonishment, "I would never have known if you hadn't told me!"

"What's your name?" Lily asked.

"Tilly Abbot," said the witch.

"Hi, Tilly," Lily said. "As you have already guessed, that was Sirius making an ass of himself. My name is Lily; this is my husband James and this is Cedric."

Tilly took a step back from them after hearing their names.

"But you all died too!" she said, shocked.

"Yes, we did," Lily said, "and if you are here that means you are dead too."

"No, I'm not," Tilly said. "My body feels solid. I can see and hear. I can't be dead!"

"What is the last thing you remember?" Lily asked kindly.

"I was walking down the street," Tilly said.

"Anything else?" Lily asked. "Sometimes it's easier for people to accept their deaths if they can remember dying."

"I remember someone walking behind me on the path," Tilly said, "but that's it."

"That someone could have been a Death Eater," James said. "Have you done anything lately that would have made the Death Eaters mad enough to want you dead?"

"No," Tilly said softly.

No one spoke for a while after that. Everyone was thinking the same thing. Everyone that is except Cedric.

"Then you are just like me," Cedric said. "You got killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"But I can't be dead," Tilly said. "What about my daughter Hannah and my husband?"

"They are fine," Lily said. "Just like our son is fine."

"What is this place?" Tilly said. "Why are you the only ones here?"

So Lily once again explained why they were here, where here was, and what Tilly's choices were.

"Does time flow normally here?" Tilly asked. "I mean did you feel fifteen years go by?"

"Yes and no," James said. "Time seems to flow similarly here as it does on earth, but not exactly the same."

"I still don't get it," Tilly said.

"We don't really either," James said.

"Well, can you give me an example?"

"Umm," James said, thinking, "Cedric and Sirius died a year apart, but it didn't feel like a year to us."

"That was just because I was so entertaining that you lost track of time," Sirius said, bragging.

"Ah, mate," James said. "You weren't here then."

"Oh, right," Sirius said. "But the brag still stands."

Lily sighed. "That's the point, though," she said. "There is no way to track time here."

"Yeah, but you have to admit time went by a lot faster when I was telling my story," Sirius said, fishing for compliments.

"Yes," Lily said. "But you still were horrible at keeping on topic."

"But that made it more fun," Sirius said.

"I think we will just have to agree to disagree on that point," Lily said.

"But Harry isn't your son," Tilly said to Sirius and Cedric. "Why are you here?"

"To keep my friends company," Sirius said. "And I care what happens to Harry too."

"I don't know," Cedric said; he spoke so quietly that no one heard him.

"Well," said Tilly, "I think I know what I want to do now."

"Okay," Lily said, smiling.

"Oh, but," Tilly said, "if you hear anything about my family or if they show up, tell them I love them."

"I will," Lily said, and Tilly vanished.

There was silence for a while. Sirius was thinking about how to entertain his friends now that he had nothing left to say to them.

"Nope," Sirius said, "I am out of ideas."

"I thought as much," James said, chuckling. "I guess you are just going to have to learn to do nothing like the rest of us."

"Well, that doesn't sound like fun at all!"

"Trust me, it isn't."

"I have an idea," Lily said. "Sirius, give me all the details of the story again please, and this time no tangents."

"If it will save me from staring at clouds, then yes please!"

Lily looked at James to see if he would join in.

"Nah," James said, "besides if I am there Sirius will definitely go off on tangents." He smiled.

"Why don't we play rock paper scissors?" Cedric asked James once Lily and Sirius had settled a ways away from them.

"We have done that enough already," James said. "Come up with a new game and maybe I will play it."

So Lily got her story the way she wanted it while Cedric came up with game after game – all of which were very dull.

James was about ready to rip off his own ears just to have something to do when he heard sobbing coming from a ways away.

"Do you hear that?" James asked Cedric.

"Hear what?"

"Shhh," James whispered. "Listen."

And now Cedric heard it too. The both of them got up off the ground and followed the sound.

"Hello," James said as they drew near.

There was no answer.

"Is anyone there?"

This time, the sobbing grew louder.

"I think I recognize that sound," James said. "Go get Lily."

Cedric left.

"It's okay," James said. "No one is going to hurt you. You are safe."

"But it hurt so much."

"I know," James said. "But it's all over now."

"Where's my mommy?"

"She isn't here," James said. "But my wife is coming."

James moved closer to the little boy. He can't have been more than five years old.

"I'm here," Lily said as she, Cedric and Sirius showed up. "What's going on?" And then she saw him.

"Oh, hello," she said, leaning down to his height.

"Hi."

"What is your name?" Lily asked.

"Dean," the little boy said. "Dean Montgomery"

"Hi, Dean. My name is Lily."

"Who are they?" Dean asked, looking up at everyone else.

"This is my husband James," Lily said. "This is our friend Sirius and this is another friend, Cedric."

Dean started crying again worse than before. "Why do I look so weird? Why do you look weird? Where are my parents?"

Lily couldn't help it. She went over to the crying child, scooped him up into her arms and rocked him.

Once the shock of being in a stranger's arms wore off, Dean started to calm down.

The whole group was gathered around Lily and Dean.

"Now, Dean," Lily said once he had stopped crying, "to answer your question. None of us look weird. We just look like cloud. That is just how everyone looks here. It isn't anything to be scared of."

"And my parents?" Dean asked. "They were all gathered around my bed and then they were gone. I was all alone."

"You aren't alone anymore," Lily said. "But you aren't with them anymore. See, people only come here when they die."

"So mommy and daddy are okay then?" Dean asked.

"Yes," Lily said, "what happened to you, Dean?"

"I was playing outside, even though mommy told me not to," Dean said, "when something jumped out of the darkness and hurt me."

"Did you see it?" Sirius asked.

"It was big and scary," Dean said, "with teeth and claws."

"Could have been anything," Sirius said.

"When I woke up I was in a bed and I was hurt," Dean said. "It hurt a lot. I asked mommy what happened and she said it was her fault for not doing what they told her to."

James and Lily exchanged a serious look.

"Anything else?" Lily asked kindly.

"I didn't tell mommy she was wrong," Dean said. "It hurt too much. What will happen to her now?" He was crying again.

"I am sure she will be okay," Lily said, rocking Dean.

Dean wrapped his arms around Lily's neck and buried his face in her shoulder.

"Shhhh shhhh shhh," Lily cooed; trying to comfort the child in her arms that reminded her so much of her son, just from the simple fact that the last child she held like this was her own.

Time passed faster now that they had a child to entertain. It is amazing how a single child can turn an entire room of adults into idiots. Dean cheered up after a while, and he was able to come up with far more interesting games than Sirius or Cedric had.

"Now you put your hand on you head and jump up and down four times," Dean said to Sirius.

"That's good," Dean said, "now spin like that."

Sirius did, though reluctantly. His promise to entertain people seemed to be backfiring on him.

"Now it is your turn," Dean said to James from Lily's lap, "You have to stand on one leg and bend over."

Dean giggled happily at the results of his new game.

"I am so going to kill him."

Everyone turned their attention from James to a very angry looking man standing a little ways away from them. Since none of them had known him in life, they couldn't have possibly noticed that this man looked far worse now than he had alive.

"That is not really a possibility anymore," Sirius said to the new guy. "If you're dead it pretty much means you can't go killing anyone else."

"Yeah, well, I wish I could!"

"Who is it you want to kill anyway?" Sirius asked, thinking the guy was kidding the way you do when you are mad at someone.

"Thorfinn Rowle," the guy said. "The stupid blood traitor was throwing killing curses everywhere, but instead of getting an Order member or even a student he killed me."

This woke them all up. Lily carried Dean a little ways away while James, Sirius and Cedric stood in front of Lily and moved toward the newcomer.

"So you're a Death Eater then," James said cautiously.

"No, I am the Easter bunny," the guy said. "Who did you think I was?"

"I don't know," James said. "But since you are the first Death Eater that we have seen—besides Karkaroff—for what I am told is fifteen years, I wasn't expecting that."

The man made to spit on the ground but found he couldn't.

"Karkaroff isn't a Death Eater," he said. "He is just a fool and a coward."

"I won't argue with you there," Sirius said.

"Fifteen years, huh?" the man said. "So you must have been killed during the Dark Lord's first rule."

"Yes, we were," James said. "Your lord met his downfall in our son."

"Oh, so you're the Potters, huh?" he laughed. "I'm Gibbon, nice to meet you." He said this with so much mocking cruelty in his voice that it couldn't have been interpreted as a nice thing to say.

"Gibbon, huh?" Sirius said. "Yeah, I heard about you. Though they didn't say you were very important."

"Ha," Gibbon said. "Just wait and see; someone will be here soon you won't expect."

"Who?"

"Dumbledore."

"What!"

"Oh, yes," Gibbon said maliciously, "Dumbledore will be joining us momentarily I assure you."

"You're lying," James said.

"Yeah," Cedric said. "He didn't live as long as he did by being reckless. You won't get him."

"He is an amazing wizard," Gibbon said. "But he will be dead very soon."

"Yes, he is an amazing and powerful wizard," Cedric said. "It would take a lot to kill him. More than you could muster."

"Yeah," James said. "We are not likely to see Dumbledore here anytime soon."

"Speak the devil's name and he shall appear."

They all turned.

And there stood Albus Dumbledore at the height of his youth, made of cloud and beaming at them all.

Dumbledore had but glimpsed Gibbon in life, but he was able to notice the difference between the people before him nonetheless.

They were all too shocked to say anything.

"Speechless in my presence?" Dumbledore said. "And alas, I was expecting a party."


	13. Ch13: Happily Dead

**Chapter Thirteen: Happily Dead**

"What are you doing here?" Cedric asked.

"The same as you, my boy," Dumbledore said. "I am dead."

Cedric just stood speechless. If this was a cartoon his jaw would have been on the ground.

"Who killed you?" James asked.

"Severus Snape," Dumbledore said calmly.

Gibbon smirked.

"What!" Lily said. "Why would Severus ever do that? He…oh no, he joined up with Voldemort again, didn't he?"

Lily started to tear up, though no moisture left her eyes.

"Yes, he did, but on my orders," Dumbledore said.

"You old fool," Gibbon said, "Snape is a double agent!"

"I am sorry, but we will have to disagree on that," Dumbledore said.

"But you just said he killed you!"

"Yes, he did."

"Okay, now you've lost me," Gibbon said.

"It is quite simple," Dumbledore said. "Severus Snape agreed to rejoin the ranks of Voldemort on my orders only an hour after Voldemort returned to power. And he agreed to kill me, after much reluctance on his part and convincing on mine, when our plan required it."

"Are you trying to tell me you told Snape to kill you?" Gibbon said.

"Yes."

"That is absurd," Gibbon said, shocked.

"To you maybe," Dumbledore said calmly to Gibbon and then turned to the others and said, "So what has been happening here?"

"I was making them do silly things," Dean said from Lily's arms.

"That sounds marvellous," Dumbledore said. "And I feel fantastic! It's like I am 60 years younger! What is your name?"

"Dean."

"Well then, Dean, why don't you and I go do silly things together?"

Dean smiled and waved his arms in Dumbledore's direction. So Lily handed Dean to Dumbledore and they walked away from the group, Dumbledore whistling to himself.

Once he was gone there was stunned silence.

"I have no idea what just happened," Cedric said.

"Me neither," James said.

"Dido," Sirius added.

"What kind of plan could Severus and Dumbledore have had?" Lily asked, more to herself than anyone. "I need answers." And with that, Lily ran after her old headmaster to learn of the fate of her childhood friend.

"Wait for us," James called after her.

As Dumbledore was walking along, he admired his new cloud hands. To him, this whole thing was a well-deserved break. He didn't really mind that he didn't know where he was, or where he would go next, or the fact that this whole place seemed to have no beginning and no end.

"So what silly things do you want to do?" Dumbledore asked Dean.

"Well, I was getting the others to stand on one foot and jump and stuff," Dean said.

"Then your wish is my command," Dumbledore said happily.

"Okay," Dean said, thinking hard. "How about you put your hands under your arms and cluck like a chicken!"

"But how will I do this without dropping you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Oh, right," Dean said. "Put me down first."

Smiling, Dumbledore placed Dean on the ground and put his hands under his arms and clucked like a chicken. Dean giggled.

The moment was ruined however by Lily's appearance.

"Dumbledore," Lily cried from behind him. "Please will you answer my questions?"

Dumbledore stopped clucking and lowered his hands. He looked at Lily and noticed Sirius, Cedric and James running behind Lily, though they were not in earshot yet.

"So long as the answers you seek do not break the promises I have made," Dumbledore said.

"What happened to Severus?" Lily asked.

Dumbledore sighed.

"Did you really never know?" he asked.

"Know what?"

"Know what you meant to Severus?"

"He was my friend," Lily said, "but he fell in with the wrong crowd."

After a long meaningful look from Dumbledore, Lily added, "I knew he liked me, but it can't have been more than a crush."

"Oh, it was far more than a crush," Dumbledore said. "But even saying that is breaking a promise. I can say no more on this matter."

Lily started to scream. "We are all dead so what does it matter!"

"It matters just as much now as it did then," Dumbledore said. "Life does not stop just because you die."

"Well, of course it does," Lily said. "That is what dying is: not living."

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore said, "So what have you been doing these last fifteen years?"

Lily fell silent.

"Lily," Dean said from the floor. "You ruined everything!"

"I'm sorry," Lily said, picking up Dean. "I didn't mean to."

"What did we miss?" Sirius said. The others had caught up with Lily.

"Lily?" James asked. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," Lily said.

James put his arm around Lily, while Dean stroked her face, not understanding the pain he found there.

"Oh, come on," Sirius said. "What happened?" Then he sniggered and said, "I am dying to know."

That broke the tension and everyone burst out laughing, even Dumbledore. In fact his laugh was the loudest.

"I see that there is still fun to be had after death," Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"Speaking of death," Gibbon said. He had followed the others rather than be left alone.

"No one has told me where here is," Gibbon continued, "and since more than just you have died in the last fifteen years there must be a way to leave."

"Oh, I had not thought of that," Dumbledore said, smiling. "I guess I was enjoying the company too much."

"So," Gibbon said, looking at James and Lily, "how do I get away from you people?"

Lily gave Gibbon his choices and Gibbon immediately said he was going on. Once they knew this they all ignored him. No one there cared about him.

If they had just stayed to watch they would have seen that when Gibbon went on he did not do so peacefully.

"Well," Dumbledore said, "those are some interesting choices indeed."

"So what are you going to do?" Lily asked.

"I think I will continue this game of acting like a chicken," Dumbledore said, "It seems to be highly entertaining." Dean giggled from Lily's arms and motioned to go to Dumbledore again.

James, Sirius, Lily and Cedric were starting to think that dying may have been the final straw for Dumbledore's sanity, but Dumbledore himself had never been better. He felt great relief from the pressures of the world.

Dean, on the other hand, was wonderfully happy to have another person to play with. Especially since this new person seemed to be much more fun.

"When you came to see me in the tower," Sirius asked, "and I told you everything, why did you believed me?"

Dean was once again making all the adults behave like children just by being there. But most of the adults were currently on break, while Lily was throwing Dean up in the air.

"I can tell when I am being lied to," Dumbledore said. "And I always thought it didn't fit that you were the spy."

"That's it?" Sirius said.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, "That and your story was far too...let's say inventive to be of your own creation. I have always found that the truth is much more interesting than what people come up with."

"Sometimes I am still amazed Harry believed me," Sirius said.

"Oh, yes," Dumbledore said. "And Harry is capable of far more too."

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"You will see," Dumbledore said.

"You can't just say 'you will see,'" Lily said, putting a disgruntled Dean down. "We are all dead. How are we supposed to know what is going on?"

"I am sure someone else will join us soon enough and inform us of what has happened if and when it happens," Dumbledore said.

"You know what," James said, "it was easier getting information out of Quirrell. At least he was scared of us. This whole cryptic thing is worse."

"Alas, maybe you are right, James," Dumbledore said, though not in a way that made anyone think he was going to change his ways.

Sirius rolled his eyes. James put his face in his hands.

"What can you tell us without breaking your promises?" Lily asked.

"I can tell you that Harry was a wonderful and impressive child. He is becoming a great and powerful man. He has all the tools at his disposal to finish what he started at one year old. He will not let us down."

"What are you talking about," Lily said. "All he did at one year old was be lucky enough not to die."

"Dear Lily," Dumbledore said, "there was no luck involved in his survival. It was you who saved him."

"All I did was die," Lily said, confused.

"Yes, you died, but you died to save him. You were willing to give your life so that he could live. That is a very powerful and very old magic which cannot be corrupted or achieved in any other way than self-sacrifice. In death you gave him life and continuing protection."

"He's my son," Lily said, still stunned. "What mother wouldn't die for her child?"

"Don't count yourself so ordinary, Lily," Dumbledore said. "It was an extraordinary thing you did and it will not only lead to Harry's survival but a better future for everyone."

"I don't know what you mean," Lily said, "How is Harry being alive going to improve the lives of so many?"

"One leader or believer can change any world," Dumbledore said. "Voldemort is only one man after all."

They all looked a little stunned. They had never thought of Voldemort as a man.

"What have you learned of Harry since your arrival here?" Dumbledore asked.

"What the people who have died told us," Lily said, "Quirrell, Bertha, Frank, Cedric, Sirius…"

"So do you know that at eleven Harry resisted the dark arts with great power and stopped Voldemort once again?"

They nodded. Quirrell had told them that.

"And at twelve he not only discovered what 50 years of headmasters at Hogwarts couldn't, but destroyed the evil there and rescued the innocent victim all without being corrupted by evil himself."

Sirius had told them that, or at least part of it; they nodded again.

"At thirteen he learned of Sirius and travelled through time to not only save his godfather's life and soul but also the life of a young innocent hippogriff."

Sirius had told them that too. They nodded; Dumbledore had managed to make it sound far more impressive with a single sentence than Sirius's whole story.

"At fourteen he not only competed in the Triwizard Tournament against students older than himself but also came out on top. He was taken to see Voldemort and watched Voldemort return to power. He fought Voldemort and not only survived but was brave enough to recount the whole thing for Sirius and me upon this return."

Again they nodded, but if any of them still had a pulse they would have been very pale by now.

"At fifteen he kept his story straight while the whole world believed him a liar. He was falsely led to believe Sirius was in danger by Voldemort, but when Voldemort tried to control Harry, his heart saved him. He received the information I had to burden him with as well I could have expected."

No one nodded.

"At sixteen years old he went with me on a mission and saved my life. Harry has everything he needs and will succeed where everyone else has failed for almost 50 years."

Lily, James and Sirius looked awestruck. Cedric just looked shocked. Dean had not really understood what was said and so just looked bored.

"What part of that doesn't improve the lives of many?" Dumbledore said to finish off.

Lily was speechless. Sirius was not.

"What mission have you sent Harry on?" Sirius asked angrily.

Dumbledore remained silent.

"Dumbledore he is eager, a little too eager, to help with the war effort. If you have put him on the front lines and he ends up here," Sirius didn't finish the threat.

"I am sorry," Dumbledore said. "But I had to think of the greater good."

"What greater good!" Sirius said. "What have you done?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Dumbledore said. "You should not have come to the Ministry with us."

"That had nothing to do with Harry," Sirius said. "I just couldn't stand being cooped up anymore."

"Even so it has affected Harry greatly," Dumbledore said. "He did not take your death lightly, Sirius."

That calmed Sirius down.

"What happened?" he asked.

"He went after Bellatrix with an unforgivable curse," Dumbledore said.

Lily gave a stifled sob.

"Why would he do that?" Sirius asked.

"Well, why did you go after Peter?" Dumbledore said.

"Oh," Sirius said in a shocked voice. "How did Bellatrix not kill Harry?"

"I stopped her," Dumbledore said, "and then Voldemort showed up at the Ministry and that was how we managed to get the Ministry to believe us at last."

There was a long silence. No one knew what to say. Sirius was feeling guilty. Lily was just sad. Dean was bored and pulling on James's robes.

"I am curious," Dumbledore asked, breaking the silence to satisfy his own curiosity, "did you see Barty Crouch Jr. by any chance?"

"No," James said, "but we didn't expect to."

"I told them about Fudge ordering Barty Crouch Jr. to the Dementor's kiss," Sirius said.

"Ah, yes," said Dumbledore, comprehension dawning on his face.

"I was amazed he was still in office after that," James said.

"Well, he isn't anymore," Dumbledore said.

"Why?"

"After the world learned the truth about Voldemort's return last year," Dumbledore said, "they wanted a more impressive Minister."

"Can't really blame them," James said, as he bent down to pick up Dean before his robes came off.

"A lot has happened since I died," Sirius said. "It's weird 'cause it doesn't feel like a year has gone by here."

"I guess not," James said.

"That must mean we are all souls," Dumbledore said, after thinking over what had been said. "If Crouch's soul was destroyed by the Dementors then that would be why he isn't here. Very interesting indeed. And both Sirius and I seem to be looking our best too. Intriguing."

Dumbledore smiled widely at his theory and started whistling to himself again.


	14. Ch14: Unlikely Pity

**Chapter Fourteen: Unlikely Pity**

"You are ignoring me," Dean said from James's arms. "I liked it better when we were playing."

"As did I, little one," Dumbledore said.

"Then why can't we?" Dean asked, reaching out to Dumbledore.

"That is a good point," Dumbledore said, taking Dean from James.

Dean looked around at the others. "Why can't we?"

"You are probably the most knowledgeable person we have or ever will get to talk to," Lily said, "And you won't tell us anything!"

"That is not true," Dumbledore said. "I told you of Harry's achievements."

"Yes," Lily said, "but there must be more you can tell us!"

"Oh, quite a lot more," Dumbledore said. "In fact there is so much I wouldn't really know where to begin. I have lived a long time you see, even if I don't look it at the moment. Do you have a specific question?"

"What is Voldemort planning?" Cedric asked.

"When did you start using the name, Cedric?" Dumbledore asked.

"When I spent way too much time with these two," Cedric said, resting a hand on each of his new friends' shoulders. Lily brought her hand up to Cedric's and James seemed quite comfortable with Cedric so close, like it was a normal occurrence.

Dumbledore observed that the three of them must have become very close while stuck together.

"Quite understandable," Dumbledore said, then answered Cedric's question. "Tom, as always, doesn't seem to have a very sophisticated plan. I am afraid he never learned the basics and now he is too far gone to learn." Dumbledore sighed.

"Gee, can you vague that up for me," Cedric said. Cedric didn't even know that Voldemort was once called Tom.

"No, I don't think I can," Dumbledore said seriously, "except to say things will transpire."

"I like that word," Dean said, "t-r-a-p-i-r. It is better than that other word that starts with V. Mommy always told me we weren't allowed to say that word."

"Cedric," Dumbledore said.

"Yes."

They were alone. Lily, James, Sirius and Dean had walked away from the group. Dean was continuing his game of making the adults do undignified things.

"Is that why you have stayed here so long?"

"Why what?"

"Being friends with them."

"Maybe," Cedric said.

"Because you died nearly two years ago," Dumbledore said. "And I always thought you were the kind of person to keep moving forward. You were a great student."

"Yeah, I know," Cedric said. "I just…."

"Could you be scared?" Dumbledore asked.

Cedric nodded.

"Don't fear the future," Dumbledore said. "You can't stay here and be a third wheel forever. If death is but the next greatest adventure then you have had an adventure for the last two years. What do you want to do now?"

"I never thought of it like that," Cedric said, then he looked directly at Dumbledore and said softly, "Do you know what will happen if I go on?"

"I haven't the faintest clue," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "But that is what is so exciting about it. As soon as I know for sure if my plan succeeded or failed I will relish the chance to go and find out!"

"Will you tell me what your plan is?" Cedric asked, "If I promise not to tell them?"

"I suppose," Dumbledore said.

Cedric waited.

"To end Voldemort's reign of terror."

"From the grave?" Cedric said. "That's ambitious."

"Yes, quite," Dumbledore said. "But if you are going to set your sights high, you might as well go higher than anyone else." Dumbledore smiled.

"Can I say goodbye?"

"Of course you can," Dumbledore said. "Don't misunderstand me, Cedric. I am not trying to tell you what to do. I am just trying to make you think about what you should do."

"Okay."

"That's good," Dean said, giggling; "now round and round and round like the school bus!"

Sirius did not look amused. But James and Lily were just as highly entertained by their friend's actions as Dean was.

"Why does a school bus go round?" Sirius asked, while trying to accomplish the very thing he asked.

Lily giggled, "Someone must have taught him Wheels on the Bus."

"And what on earth's that?" James asked.

"Don't you mean what in Limbo?" Sirius asked, grinning. Sirius then lost his balance and fell over.

"It's a Muggle children's song," Lily said, giggling at Sirius laying on the ground. "Really, did any of you bother taking Muggle studies?"

Dean was giggling happily at the totally shocked look on Sirius's face when Cedric and Dumbledore came back.

"Sorry, Dean," Cedric said, as he approached the group, "but I have something to say."

Sirius got up off the floor and turned to Cedric. Dean stopped laughing. Kids can tell when they are going to get bad news.

"I think it is time for me to go," Cedric said.

Lily ran over and hugged Cedric before anyone could say anything.

James walked over to them and put his hand on Cedric's shoulder.

"We will miss you," James said. "But we understand."

"I know I didn't know you as long as they did," Sirius said, "but it was fun while it lasted." He smiled.

"Yeah it was," Cedric said.

"Stay," Dean said from the floor.

"I can't, little one," Cedric said, leaning down and picking up Dean. "But you will be okay."

Dean sniffled as Cedric put him down and turned to Dumbledore. "Thank you," he said.

And Cedric vanished.

"I have a specific question, if that's what it takes," Sirius said, once Cedric had left and the sad silence was over. "What on earth happened at the Ministry?"

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said as Dean pulled on Dumbledore's robes for attention, "I suppose you wouldn't know about that."

"All I know is that you were all leaving to help Harry and I insisted on coming. Earlier you said Harry was misled to think I was at the Ministry. Why?"

"Tom wanted Harry at the Ministry to retrieve something for him, and thanks to Kreacher he knew that the one person Harry would risk everything to save was you."

After a moment of silent reflection, except for Dean's disgruntled pleads for attention, Sirius said, "Kreacher? But how could he? I ordered him not to."

"It seems that once you ordered him to 'get out', though you meant out of the kitchen, he decided to interpret it as get out of the house and went to see Bellatrix."

"He did what! No wonder he looked so happy when we found him again," Sirius said. "I wondered why he had stopped muttering curses at me under his breath."

"But even if Voldemort knew how much Sirius meant to Harry how could he trick Harry into thinking Sirius was in danger?" Lily asked.

"Well, you see," Dumbledore said, "Harry and Voldemort share a… connection. Voldemort was able to use this connection to send the message to Harry."

"Why would Voldemort want a connection with Harry?" Lily asked softly.

"Oh, believe me he doesn't," Dumbledore said chuckling. "He wasn't even aware of it till a few years ago, but it has been there since the first time he failed to kill Harry."

"What really happened the night we died?" Lily asked. "I mean I know most of it, but the more you try and explain it to us the more it all seems to lead back to that night."

"You are quite right, Lily," Dumbledore said, Dean giving up on him and turning to James. "Let's start at the beginning, shall we? I told you, you were in danger and had to be protected by the Fidelius charm, but I never told you why."

"There was a prophecy made that predicted the birth of a boy that would be able to match the power of the dark lord. The characteristics that identified the boy from the prophecy were overheard by a servant of Voldemort and reported back. But Voldemort never heard the part of the prophecy that told him the dark lord himself would mark the boy as his equal. He didn't know trying to kill the child would doom him."

"So you're saying you knew Harry could be this child and you didn't tell us!" Lily said angrily.

"Yes," Dumbledore said sadly. "But telling you wouldn't have changed anything. Either way Peter would have betrayed you."

"Fine," James said, ignoring Dean pulling on his robes. "So you didn't tell us. But why did Voldemort want Harry at the Ministry?"

"As I think you know," Dumbledore said, "the department of Mysteries has a Hall of Prophecy. Voldemort was attempting to get the original prophecy so he might hear it all."

"But how would that help him?" Lily said, as Dean pulled on her robes.

"Information is power, Lily," Dumbledore said. "You of all people should know that."

"But he already knew Harry was the boy from the prophecy," Lily said, picking up Dean. "Why would he want to know more?"

"He doesn't like not having all the information," Dumbledore said, "Voldemort wanted to make sure he was right."

"So was he?"

"Heavens, no," Dumbledore said. "Poor Tom hasn't been right since the day I met him. But no matter. It is too late now to do more than pity him."

"Pity Voldemort!" Sirius said, appalled.

"Yes, Sirius," Dumbledore said, "pity."

They all looked so appalled by the concept of pitying the most evil wizard that has ever lived, Dumbledore thought he should explain.

"Do any of you know what a Horcrux is?" Dumbledore asked.

"Evil," James said.

"Yes, well, such was Tom's desire for everlasting life that he made seven of them."

"What!" James said. "But that is…is…"

"You are quite right, James," Dumbledore said. "There is not a word evil or destructive enough to describe it."

"He split his soul seven times," Dumbledore said. "He has never experienced love or friendship. He is the loneliest person alive. But since he isn't even properly alive anymore, I can't rightly call him that either."

"For all these reasons I pity him."

They were all silent, thinking about what Dumbledore had said, except for Dean.

"This is boring," Dean said from Lily's arms.

"It is not boring to us, Dean," Lily said. "Just be patient."

"I don't wanna." Dean started wriggling in Lily's arms, so she put him down.

"Don't wanna, don't wanna, don't wanna," Dean said as he walked away.

"He'll be back," Sirius said.

"That's who you are expecting," Lily said so softly the others almost couldn't hear. "You have sent Harry after Voldemort."

"No," Dumbledore said. "It was all of you who did that. I merely gave him the tools he will need to succeed."

"We aren't the ones who sent Harry to do anything!" Lily said. "James and I haven't even known him! How could we have—"

"My dear Lily," Dumbledore interrupted, "you died. That is all you did, but it changed the scope of the world forever. Saving Harry defeated Voldemort for thirteen years. Dying from Voldemort's hands gave Harry a taste for vengeance. Watching the people he loves dying around him makes him want to fight, to try. You all died fighting for Harry. How do you think that makes him feel? You have given the only person with a hope in hell of defeating the most evil wizard of all time both the reason and the will to fight no matter what."

"I need to sit down," Lily said and collapsed on the floor.

There was silence for a long time.

"It was more boring over there," Dean said, as he ran up to Lily and jumped in her lap. She accepted him without thought.

"What you guys talking about now?" Dean asked. "Why does she look so sad?"

"I am not sure," Dumbledore said. "How about a change in topic," he continued brightly. "See any Muggles here lately?"

"Not since Frank," James said numbly.

"You mean Frank Bryce?" Dumbledore said.

James nodded.

"Yes, I remember you mentioning him earlier," Dumbledore said. "But is that it?"

"Yeah," James said. "Why?"

"Well, since Voldemort came out into the open last year Muggles have been dropping like flies."

"So?"

"So why did Frank come here and not them?"

"We came up with a theory," James said. "Frank was killed directly by the Avada Kedavra curse. Maybe that did it?"

"I don't think so," Dumbledore said. "Plenty of Muggles have died from that curse. No, I think it is something else." Dumbledore started staring off into space like the others weren't there.

"Now that he isn't talking," Dean said, "can we play?"

Dumbledore continued to look deep in thought, so Dean finally got his wish.

"I hope the next person who dies," Sirius said, while standing on one leg with his hands on his knees, "dies holding a deck of cards."

"Me too, mate," James said. "Though it is funny watching a 5-year-old make an idiot out of you."

"Ha ha ha," Sirius said, disgruntled.

Dean giggled happily. He thought it was beyond funny.

"Your turn, your turn," Dean said to James.

"And now it is funny again," Sirius said with a sigh, as James took his place.

"That is the only explanation that makes sense," Dumbledore said, coming out of his trance.

"About what?" Lily asked.

"Why Frank came here."

They all looked at him expectantly. All except Dean, who was bored again.

"He was not a normal Muggle death," Dumbledore said. "That is to say he was not only killed directly by magic, but also used to create more magic. Deep magic that is still partially unknown to us since it is so rarely used."

"Do you understand what he is saying?" James asked Sirius.

"Almost never," Sirius answered.

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "That has got to be it!"

"What?" Lily said.

"Frank's death was used to create Voldemort's final Horcrux, Nagini."

"The snake?" Sirius said.

"Yes, that would also explain why Harry saw through the snake's eyes when Arthur was attacked," Dumbledore said, still not doing much to let the other in on his train of thought.

"How does it explain that?"

"They are the only two living things that have ever been made into Horcruxes," Dumbledore said simply.

"No, that can't be right," Sirius said, for Lily and James were too stunned to speak, "Living things can't have pieces of other wizards' souls in them. That would mean…"

"It would mean they would have a connection unknown to anyone, since it has never before happened in wizarding history," Dumbledore said. "Harry and Voldemort's connection was shown most fully the year you were at number 12."

"That's how Voldemort communicated all that to Harry," Sirius said, stunned. "But what does that mean for Harry? Voldemort can't be killed unless all his Horcruxes are gone."

"You are quite right."

Lily started to cry worse than she ever had since arriving here. Dean went over to her.

"Don't cry, Lily," Dean said. "It isn't so bad dying. We have fun here, don't we?" He smiled.

Lily tried to smile back, but tears continued to flow down her face, ruining the effect of the smile.

Dean tried to wipe her tears away. She picked him up and hugged him tight.

"Is that in the prophecy?" James asked. "That they will kill each other?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "Though there is a chance if my plan works the way it should that Harry won't die."

Lily stood up, still carrying Dean.

"And you couldn't have told us this before!" She almost yelled.

"Well, you seemed so busy crying I didn't want to interrupt you," Dumbledore said. "Was I mistaken?

"Very mistaken," Lily said.

"Please excuse me," Dumbledore said. "I am but an old man, on the inside at least." He smiled.

"A naive foolish old man," came a far-off voice.


	15. Ch15: Situational Knowledge

**Chapter Fifteen: Situational Knowledge**

They all turned.

"You told us Snape was on our side," the witch said angrily. "He isn't. You were wrong. And we were fools to trust you!"

"I am sorry you see it that way," Dumbledore said calmly. "I however remain sure of Severus's loyalties."

"You do, do you?" the witch said, not convinced. "Well, I was just hanging from the ceiling at the Malfoys' with a room full of Death Eaters and You-Know-Who himself, and Snape was there with them."

"Yes, I dare say he was," Dumbledore said, smiling.

"You crazy old man," the witch said.

"What is your name?" Dumbledore asked.

"Charity," the witch said, "Charity Burbage."

"Hello, Charity," Dumbledore said and then spreading his arms wide as if to show off the place he added, "welcome to Limbo."

"Huh," Charity said, annoyed at Dumbledore's lack of a reaction to her news.

"But Dumbledore," Lily said, "how can you remain sure Snape hasn't turned?"

"As I have told you before," Dumbledore said, "I cannot tell you."

"And why not?" Charity sneered in anger.

"I made a promise," Dumbledore said simply.

"A promise to whom?" Charity asked.

"I cannot say," Dumbledore said.

"Then I say you are wrong!" Charity said. "Snape has turned."

Dumbledore sighed.

"If you want to believe that then there is nothing I can do to change your mind," Dumbledore said. "But I think you are just trying to blame someone for your death and Snape is the easiest target."

"I pleaded with him!" Charity said. "And he didn't even flinch!"

"Well, naturally," Dumbledore said, "he couldn't help you with so many Death Eaters around."

"You know, they say he killed you," Charity said.

Dumbledore nodded.

"Then how can you still think he is on our side!"

"I asked him to," Dumbledore said simply, and then changing the topic he added, "so Charity how do you come to be in our midst?"

"Come again?"

"How did you die?"

"You-Know-Who killed me."

"Yes, but why?" Dumbledore said kindly.

"I wrote an article about wizard-Muggle relations and was captured by the Death Eaters for my efforts."

"That was very admirable of you, Charity," Dumbledore said. "But I am afraid under those circumstances I am not surprised by your presence here."

"You went and died on us!" Charity said. "You were our best and only hope and you left."

"You flatter me," Dumbledore said. "But I was never the best or the only hope for anything. And I have not yet gone."

Charity looked confused.

"I will only truly have left Hogwarts when none there are loyal to me," Dumbledore said, "and I will only have left the world when none there remember me."

"That is just nonsense," Charity said. "You are gone and You-Know-Who is taking over."

"Charity," Dumbledore said, exasperated, "there is always hope as long as you believe."

"Even for the dead?" she asked, calming down slightly.

"Yes."

"Can I butt in?"

Such was the intensity of Dumbledore and Charity's conversation that they had completely forgotten James, Lily, Sirius and Dean.

"Yes, Sirius?" Dumbledore said.

"May I point out that there is still Harry Potter in the living world to put your faith in."

"But he is a child," Charity said, "barely of age."

"And how old do you think Voldemort was when he first showed signs of evil?" Dumbledore asked.

"I don't know," Charity said. "No one knows where You-Know-Who came from."

"Ah, but that is not true," Dumbledore said. "I do, and I have told Harry, and he has told his friends. They have all the information they need."

"Need to do what?"

"Win."

Charity turned to Sirius, "Does he ever make sense?"

"Not so much," Sirius said.

"Then it doesn't matter what I say."

"No, I don't think it does," Lily said kindly.

"What now?" Charity asked.

"Choices," Lily said. "You have three."

And Lily explained the choices once again.

"Why are you all here?" Charity asked, just like everyone else.

"Waiting for news of Harry," James said.

"To see if my plan works," Dumbledore said.

"To spend time with my old friends," Sirius said. "And to learn what happens to Harry."

"Harry," Lily whispered.

"To have fun," Dean said happily.

"How long have you been here?" Charity asked.

"As far as I can tell, about Fifteen years," James and Lily said.

"A year I think," Sirius said.

"A little while," Dumbledore said.

"Since before him," Dean said, pointing at Dumbledore. "But after them," he added, pointing to Sirius, James and Lily.

"And there was another person too, but he left," Dean said, sniffling.

"You must all be very dedicated to wait here so long," Charity said, "I am afraid that I am not though."

She turned to Dumbledore and said sadly, "I hope you are right about Snape, even if I know you are wrong."

And then she vanished.

"Why does everyone leave?" Dean asked.

"Because they have to go on," Lily said.

"Why?"

"They need to move forward instead of holding onto the past," Lily said.

"Oh," Dean said, though he really didn't understand.

"Will I have to leave?" he asked after a while.

"Yes," Lily said, "eventually."

"I want to stay as long as you are here," Dean said to Lily.

Lily leaned down and picked up Dean, cradling him in her arms while he clung to her neck.

"I wonder who will pop up next?" James said, trying to lighten the mood.

"There is no way to know for sure," Dumbledore said.

"Birdy!" Dean said loudly.

He was pointing over Lily's shoulder, from her arms.

"What do you mean, Dean?" Lily said, turning around to see. Dean spun around in her arms so that he could still see.

"A white birdy!" he said.

"I don't see—" Lily began but stopped when the shape of a snowy white owl appeared in the cloud.

"That looks like Harry's owl," Sirius said.

The look on Lily's face changed from wonder to worry.

"But if Harry's owl died…" she said softly.

"It does not mean Harry will follow," Dumbledore said firmly, turning to look at Lily.

"But," Lily said.

"But nothing, Lily," Dumbledore said. "How you have lived here all this time with that much worry in you is beyond me."

"If I was still alive," Lily said, "I may have died of stress by now."

"Quite true," Dumbledore said. "In fact I have not felt hungry, thirsty or tired since coming here."

"Yeah, that's how it works," James said.

"I think it is marvellous," Dumbledore said, "marvellously freeing!"

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Freedom from the everyday needs of being human," Dumbledore said.

"I don't know," James said, "I miss eating."

"Me too, mate," Sirius said.

"I miss playing," Dean said. "Too much serious talk."

"Oh, all right," Sirius said, resigned, "but I don't want to go first this time."

"I think it is my turn," Dumbledore said to Dean.

"He was better at it," Dean said to James, while James attempted Dean's latest embarrassing feat.

"Thank you immensely," Dumbledore said. "It is always nice to be appreciated."

"You want to be appreciated for doing this," James said, standing on one leg and spinning like a ballerina while Dean giggled happily.

"Why not," Dumbledore said. "Praise is praise."

"I don't know, Dumbledore," Sirius said. "This is not something I want to be remembered for."

"Then why do it?" Dumbledore asked.

"To have something, anything to do!"

"Well, that is not a very good reason for doing anything," Dumbledore said.

Sirius didn't know what to say to that since Dumbledore very well knew that there really wasn't anything else to do.

"How come," James said to Dean, "Lily hasn't had a turn at being told what to do by the five-year-old?"

"'Cause," Dean said as if that answered everything.

"'Cause what?"

Dean smiled widely.

"My eye is gone," came a frantic voice from behind them.

They all turned once again to see the newcomer.

"Alastor," Dumbledore said. "It is a joy and a sorrow to see you."

"I can't see through the back of my head anymore!" Alastor said, annoyed and resentful.

"Yes, I am afraid that, like the rest of us, you have been reset to optimum," Dumbledore said.

Alastor had his hands over his now normal eye.

"That feels so strange," Alastor said. "I feel kinda empty."

"Which is ironic since you are actually more whole now than you have been for many years," Dumbledore said, chuckling.

Alastor took a step forward and realized his leg was no longer wooden.

"My leg is gone too," Alastor said, jumping up and down and flicking his newly grown leg as if to see if it would fall off. "I was getting so used to having it."

Alastor's hands moved over his face and noticed that his nose was whole as well.

"I don't mind growing back my nose, though," he said. "That was never really cool anyway."

"And here I thought it gave you character," Dumbledore said, smiled and then added after a moment in a more serious tone, "What has happened since I died, dear friend?"

"I will be happy to explain it to you," Alastor said. "But first can you tell me where I am?"

"Oh, of course," Dumbledore said, "how rude of me."

He motioned to Lily to explain.

"You are in the place between life and what lies after death," Lily said mechanically. "It is called Limbo. There are three choices: be a ghost, stay, or go on."

"So you stuck around then, did ya, Albus," Alastor said. "I thought as much. Still got all the strings in hand even after you're dead. Typical."

He grunted but Lily suspected it was meant to be a laugh.

"Yes, a puppeteer if ever there was one," Dumbledore said. "Now could you please tell us…"

"Oh yeah, right, so after your rather largely attended funeral—" But Alastor didn't get any farther.

"Oh my funeral," Dumbledore interrupted like an eager child, "tell me all about it."

Alastor looked taken aback by Dumbledore's sudden desire for pointless information when moments ago he had wanted just the opposite, but answered the question nevertheless. After all he was used to Dumbledore's ways.

"They didn't send the students home for a few days so the funeral could be held," Alastor said. "The mer-people showed up, and the centaurs. You were buried in a white tomb on the Hogwarts grounds."

"Wow, I didn't realize I was so popular," Dumbledore said, silver shadows appearing on his cloud cheeks.

"Yeah," Alastor said, half joking, "so why did you have to go die on us?"

"I am sorry, old friend," Dumbledore said seriously. "But there was no other way."

"You make it sound like you did it on purpose," Alastor said, confused. "But you were murdered."

"No, I wasn't," Dumbledore said. "But I know that is how it looked."

"How it looked?" Alastor said. "All I know is that Potter told everyone Snape killed you!"

"Yes, he did," Dumbledore said. "And believe you me that was not easy to accomplish."

Alastor just looked more confused at this.

"He hasn't made sense since he arrived," Sirius said consolingly.

"Yes, well," Alastor said, "he never did make total sense when he was alive."

"True," Sirius said, chuckling.

"I am not sure how I feel about being the topic of conversation," Dumbledore said.

"Yeah, well," James said, "if you insist on being so cryptic you are just going to have to get used to it."

Dumbledore looked saddened by this but didn't say anything.

"Anyway, where was I?" Alastor said. "Right, so after your funeral the students were all sent home."

"Yes, I thought that would happen," Dumbledore said. "But what do you know of Harry?"

"Ah well, he went back to his aunt and uncle's. A short while before he turned seventeen. Two Order members took his relatives to a safe house, while the rest of the Order stayed to help get Harry out safely."

"Mundungus, in a stroke of genius I will never understand, came up with the idea to use the polyjuice potion to make it look like there were seven Harrys leaving. And we had sent out a fake trail so the date was unknown, but the Death Eaters knew we were moving that night anyway, because as soon as we took off we were surrounded."

"Ah yes," Dumbledore said. "Sorry about that, but we had to make it look good."

"Do I want to know what you are talking about?" he asked.

"Yes, I am quite sure that you do," Dumbledore said. "But I am afraid I cannot tell you."

"I thought as much," Alastor said. "Anyway, so once we took off Voldemort went after me and Mundungus disguised as Harry first. Mundungus disapparated, like a coward, and I got hit. We were on brooms at the time, but I died before I had a chance to fall."

"Yes," Dumbledore said, "Mundungus was never one to trust in a pickle, was he. Why did you take him with you anyway?"

"As I said it was his idea and we needed a seventh person to take the potion, didn't we?"

"Why didn't you just use six Potters? And I highly doubt it was Mundungus's idea."

"Six wouldn't have broken up the Death Eaters as well, and what do you mean it wasn't his idea?" Alastor said.

"I suspect that someone put the idea in this head," Dumbledore said.

"And you aren't going to tell us who that was, are you?" Alastor said.

Dumbledore didn't say anything. Alastor took that as a yes.

"Well, whoever it was," Alastor said, "we owe them big time. We would never have stood a chance without that seven potters trick."

"If only you knew the irony of that statement," Dumbledore said happily.

"Yeah, well, since you won't tell me…"

"Again I am so sorry, old friend," Dumbledore said more seriously, as if he was apologizing for more than just his silence.

"You were always one to keep your promises, Albus," Alastor said. "So I can't really be surprised."

"Thank you."

"So No-Longer Mad-Eye," Sirius said with his usual amount of tact, "what are you going to do now?"

"I think I will wait here just long enough to see if our mission was a success," Alastor said. "If no one else from the mission to get Harry safely to the Burrow shows up, then I will go on."

"Still the same Alastor," Dumbledore said, smiling, "the mission always comes first."


	16. Ch16: Conflict and Dancing

**Chapter Sixteen: Conflict and Dancing**

"Just because I am dead it doesn't mean I will do that!" Moody said.

"Please," Dean said, looking up at Moody with big eyes. His hands held together near his face as if he were praying.

Moody looked torn.

"Why don't I take another turn?" Dumbledore said.

"But you've had lots of turns," Dean said, "and he just got here."

"And I am only staying till I know the outcome of the mission," Moody said.

"Which is why we need to play now."

Moody thought for a moment.

"No," he said, "can't do it."

Dean's lower lip was pouting so enthusiastically, Moody was about to give in when he was saved by the newest arrival.

"I hope they say I tried," came a far off, sad and beaten voice.

Dumbledore and Moody followed the voice to see who had joined them.

Lily, James and Sirius didn't follow Moody and Dumbledore, but stayed and played with Dean.

"Why do you say that?" Dumbledore said once he and Moody had reached the new arrival.

"I failed," Rufus Scrimgeour said. "The Ministry has fallen. It is his now."

"Do you mean to say that Voldemort has taken over the Ministry of Magic?" Moody said.

Scrimgeour only hung his head in defeat.

"Cheer up, Rufus," Dumbledore said. "Though this isn't good, all is not lost."

"But we were it," Scrimgeour said. "With you dead and the Ministry overrun, there is no hope left."

"Ah, but you are wrong," Dumbledore said. "That which you have named are just two of the hopes we had. The greatest hope is still out there fighting."

"If you mean Potter," Scrimgeour said, "then I don't see how one boy barely of age could have a better chance against Voldemort than the entire Wizarding World."

"That is because you don't understand," Dumbledore said.

"Then enlighten me."

And to everyone's surprise, Dumbledore explained.

"Harry and Voldemort are more closely linked than any other magical beings in history," Dumbledore said. "Harry has many of the dark lord's powers and can see into his mind. But Harry can love. He loves many who have died at Voldemort's hand and thus is untouchable. He will not turn to Voldemort's side despite being so exposed to evil. He will fight till one of them is dead. And if my plan works it will be Voldemort who will perish in the end."

"What is your plan?" said Scrimgeour.

Dean had decided that a new arrival would be more interesting than Lily, James and Sirius. As Dean wandered over to Dumbledore, the three unencumbered adults enjoyed their moment of peace.

"That I can't tell you," Dumbledore said.

"But we're all dead," Scrimgeour said, as Dean walked past him to Dumbledore. "What does it matter!"

"Why does everyone always ask me that," Dumbledore said wisely. "Why do they always assume that just because we are dead loyalties shift?"

No one had an answer to that.

"I get it, Dumdor," Dean said.

Dumbledore leaned down to Dean's eye level.

"And what is it that you get, little one," Dumbledore said gently.

"Here is just like there," Dean said. "What mattered there still matters here."

"I couldn't have put it better myself," Dumbledore said, picking up Dean.

"So Scrimgeour," Moody growled, "besides you failing to keep the Ministry going, what else has happened since I died?"

"Hey, I would have liked to see you manage to keep the Ministry afloat with Voldemort at full strength!"

"I would have made sure all my employees weren't Death Eaters for a start," Moody barked. "And I would have made sure the Wizarding World knew when there was a mass breakout from Azkaban!"

"It would have done no good to tell them," Scrimgeour yelled back. "It would have just caused a mass panic!"

"Or it could have prepared people," Moody roared. "Constant vigilance!"

"Enough," Dumbledore said. He did not yell; he spoke calmly but there was great power in his voice.

"There is no point in continuing this conversation," he said to both men. "There is nothing more we can do for the living world."

After a pause Dumbledore continued, "Now Scrimgeour would you please tell us what you know of Harry and anything else you think we would like to know."

"Why?" Scrimgeour asked.

"Because that seems to be the way it works here," Dumbledore said.

"That is not an explanation," Scrimgeour said.

"I know."

When Scrimgeour realized that was all he was going to get out of Dumbledore he decided he might as well tell them all he knew.

"When did you die?" Scrimgeour asked Moody.

"The 27th of July."

"You haven't missed much then," Scrimgeour said. "Though I didn't hear of your death in the few days it has been since."

"It didn't even feel like a day here," Moody said.

"That is because here there is no night or day, no hunger, thirst or sleep," Dumbledore said. "How are we to measure time without those?"

"Right as usual, Albus," Moody said.

"The only way we can measure time is by asking the recently dead when it was they died," Dumbledore said to Scrimgeour. "And that is also the only way we can know of what has happened to those we left behind."

"We think Voldemort managed to put the imperious curse on Thicknesse," Scrimgeour said, resigned to answering the question at last, "and if so that's how he managed to get enough wizards to take the Ministry. They captured me right before the Ministry fell. Voldemort wanted to know where Harry was and what he was doing. When I didn't tell him, he killed me for being of no further use to him."

"Before the Ministry's demise," Dumbledore said, "did you give Harry, Ron and Hermione those items I left them in my will?"

"Yes," Scrimgeour said. "But I held them for a month first. Why did you give them those things? I couldn't figure it out."

"That was the idea," Dumbledore said. "If you knew of their importance you would never have passed them on."

"What about the sword?" Scrimgeour said. "Why did you add it in your will if you knew it wouldn't be passed on?"

"So Harry would know I wanted him to have it."

"But I still don't see how that would have gotten him the sword."

"I left it with someone who would give it to Harry after my death," Dumbledore said. "But enough of this. Do you have anything else to tell us?"

"Not really," Scrimgeour said.

"Well then," Dumbledore said, smiling. "Why don't we re-join the group? I am sure James, Sirius, and Lily would love to meet you. And you have already met Dean." Dumbledore pointed to the smiling five-year-old in his arms.

Scrimgeour gave a slight jerk of the head to Dean and then followed Dumbledore. He didn't know where he was or what to do, so he could see no other options.

"Hello, everyone," Dumbledore said once they reached the group. "Sorry to interrupt, but I would like to introduce the Minister of Magic."

"So you're the one that messed everything up, huh," James said.

"Don't be rude, James," Lily said.

"So you replaced Fudge then," Sirius said. "I'll admit it's an improvement."

A thought suddenly occurred to Dean. Even if Moody wouldn't play, maybe this new guy would.

"Do you want to play?" Dean asked the Minister hopefully.

"No thank you," Scrimgeour said stiffly.

Dean did not look happy about this. This new arrival was turning out to be just as disappointing as the last one.

"Lily, do you want to do the honours?" Dumbledore asked.

Lily looked non-pulsed.

"You are the resident tactful-teller of choices, are you not?"

"I think I'm retiring," Lily said. "Why don't you do it?"

"Very well then," Dumbledore said, bowing to Lily.

He turned to Scrimgeour, who was waiting, unsure what he was waiting for.

"So," Dumbledore said, "how shall I put this?"

Dumbledore looked off into the distance as if trying to compose the most elegant way of phrasing it.

But before he could think of one, Sirius got bored.

"Okay, so you are dead. This is Limbo. You can stay here, be a ghost, or go on," Sirius said bluntly.

"I believe," Dumbledore said, annoyed, "I was supposed to do that."

"You were taking too long," Sirius said.

"Yes, well," Dumbledore said, "you do things too quickly."

"Don't make this into a generation thing," Sirius said.

Dumbledore stuck his no-longer crooked nose in the air.

"You know what," James said, "you are both nuts."

Dumbledore smiled widely as if James had bestowed the greatest compliment on him, while Sirius went over to his best friend and hit him, albeit playfully, on the back of the head.

"Hey! What was that for?" James said.

"Calling me crazy."

Dean was giggling happily. He thought watching the two adults fight was almost as fun as watching them do the silly things he came up with. Lily too was laughing though, she wasn't heard over Dean's laughter.

"So I can leave," Scrimgeour said, once the laughter died down.

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "But is there anything you would like to know before you leave? Is there an event you would like to know the outcome of or a—"

"Oh that reminds me," Moody said, "Scrimgeour, do you know if Harry got to The Burrow?"

"Yeah," Scrimgeour said. "That was where he was when I gave him and his friends all those items from Dumbledore's will. But you should have been able to figure that out just by the fact that Harry isn't here. We all know that if he had been caught Voldemort would have killed him."

"Well, I knew that," Moody said. "But that doesn't mean he got to the safe house okay."

"I think that's either a 'you're safe' or 'you're dead' kinda thing."

Moody growled something too quiet for anyone other than Dumbledore to hear it.

"Alastor," Dumbledore said, "language."

"He pisses me off," Moody said.

"Even so there is no need for that," Dumbledore said.

After a moment of annoyed silence in which Moody glared at Scrimgeour, Dumbledore spoke once again.

"I think this new information means that you will be leaving us, Alastor," he said. "And though I will miss you if you do, I understand if you can stay here no longer."

"Thank you, old friend," Moody said.

"I think I will leave too," Scrimgeour said. "I have no reason to stay."

"I am not leaving with you," Moody said. "You go first."

"I do not think it matters what order we go in," Dumbledore said.

"How do you know?" Moody said.

"I don't."

"In that case you are going first," Moody said. "I do not want to get stuck with you for all eternity."

"Fine," Scrimgeour said sharply. "Goodbye." And he vanished.

"Good riddance as far as I am concerned," Moody said, after a moment.

"Nobody stays to play," Dean said loudly, "and I don't like it!"

"I know, little one," Dumbledore said softly, putting Dean down.

"Will you please play before you go?" Dean said to Moody.

Moody smiled. "How about a compromise," he said.

Dean smiled back.

Moody's foot started to twitch, first one then the other. He moved side to side. His arms started to move in unison as he danced toward Dean. Dean raised his arms up in the air and Moody picked him up and spun him around, and round, higher and higher till Dean was far above Moody's head.

Dean's jubilant laughter was the only thing anyone was hearing as Moody threw Dean around him like a hula hoop.

With one last sweeping motion, Moody threw Dean on a patch of cloud and he bounced up again. He started to jump up and down on the cloud, still giggling with all the joy of life.

"Weeeeeee," Dean said, as he flew into the air. "Weeeeeee…"

At last he bounced no more, but got up and ran to Moody. He clung to Moody's legs like a barnacle.

"Again, again," he cried.

"Okay, but only one more time," Moody said and he picked up Dean, swung him around and threw him back on the bouncy cloud.

This time Dean did not stay to bounce, but ran back to Moody and grabbed hold of his leg once more.

"Again, again," he cried.

Moody leaned down to speak to Dean.

"I am sorry, little one," he said, "but I have to go."

Dean's happy look left immediately. He sniffled.

"No," he said.

Moody smiled. "I can't stay here and play with you forever. I have to move forward."

"Why does everyone want to go forward?" Dean said sadly. "What is so great about forward?"

"It is new," Moody said. "It is something we have not done. It is a challenge that we want to face no matter the consequences."

Dean still didn't get it, but he knew his new friend wouldn't stay and thus gave up talking about it.

Dean let go of Moody's legs so that Moody could lean down and give him a proper hug.

After a moment Moody removed Dean from around his neck and handed him to Dumbledore.

"Goodbye, old friend," Alastor said to Dumbledore. "And goodbye, new friend," he said to Dean.

He turned to Lily, James, and Sirius.

"Your son was an honour to die for," Alastor said. "I hope you learn what happens to him, but you never see him here."

Alastor smiled and vanished.


	17. Ch17: Uniquely the Same

**Chapter Seventeen: Uniquely the Same**

"Moody's was best," Dean said when Sirius put him down.

"Fine," Sirius said.

"But you are better than nothing," Dean said, realizing that his honesty may cost him a playmate.

"Is that supposed to make me want to play with you?"

Dean nodded. Sirius laughed.

"Lily," Sirius said loudly enough to carry, "it's your turn."

"I am busy," Lily said.

"Doing what!" Sirius said mockingly. "Looking at clouds?"

But Lily didn't answer.

"Sorry about that," Lily said. "What were you saying?"

"A strange-looking man," Liese said, with an arm wrapped around each of her children, "he came to our house, but was not pleased when the one he was looking for wasn't there. He wouldn't listen."

What Lily, James and Dumbledore didn't know was that this woman was speaking German. And Liese didn't know they were speaking English. This was because Lily, James and Dumbledore heard English while Liese and her children heard German. There are no language barriers here.

"Voldemort never does," Lily said. "I am sorry."

Liese nodded, holding her children closer to her.

"What do I do now?" she asked.

"You can stay here with us," Dumbledore said. "But it isn't very interesting. You can go back to earth as a ghost or you can go on."

"What about us?" one of Liese's children asked.

"I think you will be able to follow your mother wherever she goes," Dumbledore said. "But I think you will also be able to do your own thing if you want."

"He is boring," Dean said, running up to Lily. "I want to play with you."

Lily picked up Dean when he started pulling at her robes without really thinking about it.

"Is this your son?" Liese asked.

Before Lily could come up with an answer, Dean spoke.

"No, I have a mommy back on earth," he said. "But I like Lily best."

"Oh," Liese said, "the way you spoke about children I thought you had some."

"I have a son," Lily said. "But he is still alive. Do you know Harry Potter?"

"Oh," Liese said. "So you are that Lily. I didn't realize. And yes, I know of your son. There are very few who don't."

Lily smiled.

"Wait up you little—" Sirius said, ruining the moment.

Dean stuck his tongue out at Sirius.

"Alright, wise guy," Sirius said. "You are just begging for a cloud sandwich!"

"Na na na na na," Dean said from Lily's arms.

"Lily, put him down so I can hit him," Sirius said.

"I will not," Lily said. "What did he do anyway?"

Dean smiled huge and started laughing.

Sirius just glared.

The next moment Dean had been ripped from Lily's arms by a massive, angry, black cloud dog.

"Ahhh," Dean screamed from Sirius's mouth.

"Sirius, no," Lily said with authority.

But as soon as Dean realized who it was, his scream of terror became a cry of laughter.

"Weeeeeeeee," Dean said, "I take it back! You are awesome!"

Sirius, annoyed that his actions were not having the desired effect, put Dean down and turned back into a man.

"Fuunnn," Dean cried. "Again, again!"

Sirius decided he was happy with being the cool uncle again and turned back into a dog. He used his teeth to throw Dean on his back.

"Us too," the two children cried and, after confirming permission from their mother, they ran to jump on Sirius's back too.

"Now that is a reason to be an Animagus," Lily said.

"I don't know," James said. "I think we did okay."

Lily silenced James with a look. She didn't want to talk about the good old days anymore. She turned to Liese.

"What do you want to do?"

"I am not sure," she said. "All I know for sure is that I will not do anything without my children."

"Then we will just have to wait for Sirius to get back."

"Will he ever stop?" James said, as Sirius continued to run around and around them with the three kids on his back.

"Remember," Dumbledore said, "there is no exhaustion here."

"So what you're saying is that he can keep this up forever?"

"Yes."

"Well, that is just boring," James said. "Unless we join him."

He flashed a huge grin and a fluffy stag joined the cloud dog.

"Really," Lily said. "They are acting like children."

"Well, children do have the most fun," Dumbledore said. "If only I could turn into a four-legged cloud animal, I would join them too."

"They look happy," Liese said, smiling.

"Yeah," Lily said, "this isn't a bad place to be."

"So you don't know what happens when you leave here then?" Liese asked.

"No one does," Lily said. "I think that is the point."

Liese sighed.

At this moment the scene looked like this. There was a stag chasing a massive dog with three giggling children on its back. They were running around three people: Lily, Liese and Dumbledore. But all of a sudden another person appeared.

He did not look as old and tired here as he had on earth, but since he appeared right in the path of the stampeding animals, he didn't have time to contemplate his new appearance.

"Ahhhhh," he said, as he ran away from the animals and into the middle of the circle created by James and Sirius.

"Hello," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "And what brings you to this fine not-day in Limbo?"

Lily smiled at Dumbledore's odd turn of phrase.

"It is an honour to meet you, Gregovitch," Liese said. "I have not seen you since I was eleven. You look better."

"I do," Gregovitch said, looking down at himself.

"So you are Gregovitch," Dumbledore said. "I have heard of your work."

"What work?" Lily asked.

"I make, or rather made, wands," Gregovitch said. "That is till You-Know-Who discovered the existence of the Eler wand and tracked me down to ask me where it is."

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said. "I thought he might do that."

"And you didn't do anything about it!"

"I tried," Dumbledore said. "But that part of my plan didn't go as well as I would have hoped."

"Oh, so you do make mistakes," Lily said. "I was starting to wonder."

"Yes, Lily," Dumbledore said. "I make mistakes. Many will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"Again I will remind you," Lily said, exasperated, "that you are dead already, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore sighed; no one understood him.

"So what about your plan went wrong?" Gregovitch asked.

"I had the Elder wand for many years," Dumbledore said. "I took it from Grindelwald when—"

"You have had the Elder wand since 1945!" Gregovitch said.

"Yes," Dumbledore said simply.

When no one spoke he continued, "I had planned to die undefeated so the power of the wand would die with me, but it didn't work."

"'Cause Snape killed you?"

"No, 'cause Draco disarmed me before Snape got there."

"Are you telling me Draco is now the master of the Elder wand! Draco Malfoy! The seventeen-year-old!"

"Yes," Dumbledore said, "though he wouldn't know it."

"But that's interesting," James said. Once he had noticed the new arrival he had changed back into a man and joined the group. Sirius was still circling with the children. "Why didn't you tell us that before?"

"You never asked."

"It's always direct questions with you, isn't it?"

"I never thought of it like that," Dumbledore said. "But yes, I suppose it is." He smiled.

"Wait, how could you have died undefeated if Snape killed you?" Gregovitch said. "Does that mean you missed that too?"

"As I have already told everyone else," Dumbledore said, "I wasn't murdered. I would have died undefeated if it wasn't for Draco."

"That doesn't make any sense," Gregovitch said.

Dumbledore sighed. "Maybe not to you," he said.

"Albus Dumbledore, is that you?" came a female voice from behind Sirius, Dean and Liese's children.

Sirius stopped running when he heard it and turned back into a man with Dean on his shoulder, and Liese's children standing beside him. He walked back to the group, parallel with the newcomer.

"Bathilda," Dumbledore said, "I didn't expect to see you here."

"What do you mean by that?" Bathilda asked.

"I didn't think you would die," Dumbledore said simply. "At least not while I was still here."

Bathilda Bagshot laughed. "You make just as much sense as usual, Dumbledore," she said.

Dumbledore nodded with an amused grin on his face.

A sudden thought struck Bathilda. Her expression changed from amused pleasure to horror and shame.

"I told that horrible woman everything!" she said.

"What horrible women?" Sirius asked, Dean still on his shoulders. The other two children walking beside him joined their mother when Sirius got to the group.

"Rita Skeeter!"

"Everything about what?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"About you."

Dumbledore chuckled.

"That will make for a very interesting read indeed," he said.

"So you're not angry?" Bathilda said.

"Of course not," Dumbledore said.

"But, Dumbledore," Sirius said, putting Dean down, "Rita Skeeter never tells the truth. She will twist your life into something horrible."

"And who said my life wasn't something horrible already?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

Sirius was dumbfounded by this.

"But you're Dumbledore!" he said.

"Yeah," James added, ignoring Dean pulling on his robes again.

"Yes, I am Albus Dumbledore," Dumbledore said. "But that doesn't mean I don't have one or two dreadful skeletons in my closet."

Leise looked horrified at this.

"You killed someone!" she said, backing away from Dumbledore.

Dumbledore smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I may have," Dumbledore said, "by accident, but I do not literally have skeletons in my closet. It is a saying. A Muggle saying I believe."

Leise still looked wary, but she stopped backing away.

Lily looked concerned. "Who was it?" she asked softly.

"I really don't want to talk about it," Dumbledore said kindly but firmly. "Now, we haven't told either Gregovitch or Bathilda what their choices are. Who would like to do the honours?"

"Retired," Lily said firmly.

James opened his mouth to do it, but Dean pulled more fiercely on his robes and said, "Play with me Ja, please!"

James leaned down and picked up Dean. "Sorry, mate," he said to Sirius. "I guess it's your turn."

James put Dean on his shoulders and turned into a stag. Dean slid down the animal's neck and sat comfortably on its shoulder blades. James ran off with Dean giggling happily.

"What was all that about?" Bathilda said.

"We have been here a long time," Lily said. "We take turns passing on the information, because believe me it gets boring after a while."

"Right," Sirius said. "So there are three choices—"

But before he could finish Dumbledore interrupted him.

_ 'Your future is yours to choose,_

_ Listen for you have but three_

_ First if you wish to return, _

_Ghost's true form you can take_

_ Second if you wish to stay you may_

_ We laugh but linger long_

_Third is what most do_

_ Learn what happens when you go on'_

Dumbledore recited this poem as if he had known it all his life, but in reality he had been trying to come up with it since Lily had said she was retiring.

"That was beautiful, Dumbledore," Lily said. "I wish I had thought of making a poem for it. It would have been less tedious."

Dumbledore beamed.

Sirius looked annoyed rather than impressed.

"I think that was just payback for when I interrupted you," he said.

"And what if it was?" Dumbledore said, smiling.

Sirius laughed. "You aren't as dull as you look, old man, I'll give you that."

"Thank you," Dumbledore said. Sirius just laughed harder.

"Let me get this straight," Gregovitch said. "Stay, be a ghost, or go on?"

"That is correct," Dumbledore said.

"But why the poem?"

"Dumbledore was always a creative one," Bathilda said, then turning from Gregovitch to Dumbledore she added, "I am surprised it took you this long actually. Didn't you die over half a year ago?"

"Did I really?" Dumbledore said.

"There is no way to measure time here," Lily said.

"That makes sense," Bathilda said, "now that I think about it."

"I think it is time for us to go," Leise said.

Lily went over to Leise and hugged both her and her children.

"It was nice to have a girl around," Lily said. "And your children are wonderful. But I do understand your need to keep going forward."

Leise smiled back at Lily.

"Thank you for all the support and fun," Leise said.

And while she held both her children close, they all vanished.


	18. Ch18: Marked for Death

**Chapter Eighteen: Marked for Death**

Gregovitch left soon after Leise and her children. Bathilda stayed to talk to Dumbledore for a while but left in the end.

Sirius and James spent their time being animals, because it was much more fun than being people. They wondered why they hadn't thought of passing the time as animals before.

Dean went back and forth from playing with Sirius and James to playing with Lily.

When Lily was not playing with Dean, she was talking to Dumbledore about Harry. She found that direct questions got far more information out of Dumbledore, though there were a few things he still wouldn't say.

While they all did the various things they wanted to do, people came and went. The world was a more dangerous place now than it ever had been before.

The most frequent visitors to Limbo these days were Muggle-borns. They knew little of Harry, but could tell them many things about the way the world was today.

"And that's all I know," the boy said. "Sorry I couldn't be of more help."

"Don't apologize," Lily said. "I am grateful for anything you can tell me."

The boy smiled.

"If there is nothing else," he said, "I think I have chosen what I want to do."

Lily, knowing the answer, smiled back and said, "I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for."

"You too," the boy said and vanished.

"Another Muggle-born, huh?" Sirius said, abandoning Dean and James to come speak with Dumbledore and Lily.

"Yeah," Lily said. "There are so many of them here these days, and by the sound of it they are being targeted deliberately."

"Tom really never learns," Dumbledore sighed. "He is a half-blood himself you know."

"Voldemort is half-blood?" Lily and Sirius said together.

"What did I miss?" James said. He had joined the group when it seemed to him they were talking of something more interesting than the usual.

"Why do you grownups always want to talk about stuff?" Dean asked, coming up behind James with a grumpy look on his face.

"Dumbledore said Voldemort is a half-blood," Sirius said to James, then turning to Dumbledore he asked, "I was in the Order of the Phoenix for a year! How come you never told me that before?"

"You never asked."

It was plain from the look on Sirius's face that he did not think this was a good reason.

"How do you know he was half-blood?" Lily asked, ignoring both Sirius who still looked annoyed and Dean who was pulling on her robes for attention.

"Voldemort, or Tom Riddle as he was named by his mother, used to go to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said. "And since he had no wizarding family to tell him of Hogwarts and being a wizard, I had to go and get him. I met him when he was eleven years old."

"Why didn't he have a family?" Lily asked. For the first time she was feeling pity for her killer.

"His mother died shortly after giving birth to him," Dumbledore said. "He was raised in a Muggle orphanage."

"You know who his parents are then?" James asked, ignoring Dean who had given up on Lily and was now trying to get James's attention.

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "I took the time to learn all I could of the child Voldemort so I could pass it on to Harry before I died."

"Why does Harry need to know that?" Sirius asked.

"Because information is power."

"Couldn't have put it better myself."

They all turned.

"Hi," said a decently-built man who was now older than he looked. "Where am I?"

"In Limbo," Dumbledore said.

"Ok-ay," the man said. "But where is that?"

"Nowhere," Dumbledore said, "and everywhere at the same time."

"You're not making a whole lot of sense," the man said. "Anyone else?"

"Limbo," Lily said, "is where you go when you die."

Silence followed this statement.

"Oh," he said in a small voice. "So I will never see my wife or daughter again?"

Lily's sad look gave him his answer.

"I know how you feel," Lily said after a moment. "I haven't seen my son since he was one year old."

"One year old," the man said, thinking hard. "Who is your son?"

"Harry Potter."

"You are Lily Evans!" he said excitedly, then turning to Sirius he said, "And you must be James Potter!"

While a look of stunned amazement showed on the man's face, James and Sirius bust out laughing.

"I am sorry they are so rude," Dumbledore said. "But you see, you just called Sirius Black James Potter."

"Oh," the man said. "Well, I think I should get cut some slack, because you all look like cotton candy."

"Heard that one before," Sirius said. "Got anything else?"

"Pillow fluff?"

"Boring," Sirius said.

"Beer foam?"

"That's better," Sirius said. "But I still think I win with Teddy Bear puke."

"Ok-ay," the man said, confused. "If you say so…"

"Anyway," Dumbledore said, "what is your name?"

"Ted Tonks."

"Ah, but of course," Dumbledore said. "Nymphadora's father."

"You know my daughter?" Ted asked.

"I know all the Order members," Dumbledore said. "Or don't you recognize me?"

Ted had not recognized Dumbledore since he had only seen him a handful of times and none of them had been for more than a few minutes. And on top of that, the Dumbledore before him looked younger than the one he had seen, not to mention made of cloud.

But now that Ted was trying to recognize him, he saw it.

"Dumbledore!"

"That's right," Dumbledore said, beaming. "Now do you think you can tell us what is happening in the living world?"

"Sure," Ted said. "What do you want to know?"

So Ted told them of his one encounter with Harry during the fight to get Harry to safety, and of his daughter's marriage, but before he could go any further James interrupted.

"Remus got hitched!"

"Yes," Ted said.

"How come I am the only single one of the Marauders left, huh?" Sirius said, looking sulky.

"I don't know," James said slyly. "Maybe all the best women were taken while you were in Azkaban?"

"That is so not funny!" Sirius said, and he turned into a dog again to jump on James, but James was too quick for him. Before Sirius could lay a paw on him, James turned into the stag.

Dean had given up on all the adults doing anything fun, but when he saw both James and Sirius change he ran after them screaming, "Ride, ride!"

"They never seem to count Peter anymore," Lily said.

"Is that you?" The voice had come from near them.

"Dirk!" Ted said, turning around to face his friend.

"Ted," Dirk Cresswell said. "But I just saw you killed! What is going on?"

"Sorry, mate," Ted said. "But if you are here then they killed you too."

Dirk sighed, "I thought as much once I recognized you, but you do look different."

"That happens," Dumbledore said. "Here everyone looks their best."

"Yeah," Dirk said. "Dumbledore, you look fifty years younger!"

"I like to think it's more like sixty," Dumbledore said.

Dirk laughed.

"It's strange," Dirk said, looking around him pensively. "I feel lighter here. The pain and grief of the world seems duller. Not gone, but easier to bear."

"I know what you mean," Ted said. "You just can't help but be content here."

"I noticed that also," Dumbledore said. "It takes a great deal of work to be unhappy here." He looked at Lily as he said the last part.

"Hey," Lily said. "Don't look at me. I am just as happy as you are."

"Sometimes I think not," Dumbledore said.

"They won't let me play with them," Dean said, returning from trying to get a ride from either Sirius or James.

"They are boys," Lily said. "Silly boys that have gone back to their immature ways."

"Yes," Dean said sulkily.

"Come here," Lily said and she picked up Dean.

"I think you spoil him," Sirius said, getting back from his and James's 'fight' with an annoyed look on his face. He had lost.

"I do not," Lily said.

"We all do," Sirius said. "He is just lucky we don't have anything else to do."

"I think it is us who are lucky we have a child to keep us company," Dumbledore said. "Children make everything more fun."

"Yeah, they do," Dirk said. "Despite the happiness of this place I am saddened by the fact that I will never see my sons or my wife again."

"I know what you mean," Ted said. "But I think they will be okay without us. There is nothing more we can do. All we can do is hope that what we have done will be enough."

"Yeah, I think you are right, Ted," Dirk said, then added to Dumbledore, "So since the five of you are not everyone who has ever died, where do you go from here?"

"Thank you for asking," Dumbledore said, and he recited his poem.

"Cool poem," Ted said. "Who wrote it, or did the people before you tell you it when you first arrived?"

"I wrote it," Dumbledore said. "And thank you very much for the compliment."

"You must have a lot of free time on your hands then," Ted said.

"That is all we have here," Lily said gloomily. "That and learning about the living from the recently deceased."

"See," Dumbledore said, pointing at Lily. "How do you get so sad all the time? And here of all places!"

Lily stuck her tongue out at Dumbledore and Dean, thinking it would make a cool new game, joined her.

Dumbledore laughed.

In the end, Ted and Dirk decided to stay till they learned what happened to their families. Ted also hadn't finished telling Lily, James, Dumbledore and Sirius everything they had originally asked him.

Dirk was lucky. Soon after Ted had finished explaining all about the current affairs of the wizarding world someone showed up with news of Dirk's family.

This person was another Muggle-born. She had stayed in the safe house where his family was now. She had gotten caught trying to look for her family but she was able to tell Dirk for sure that his family was safe.

Dirk thanked her and they both went on.

"You know you could go too if you wanted," Lily said to Ted. "Just because we are all crazy doesn't mean you have to be."

"I know," Ted said. "But I need to know more before I go. My heart is still on earth with my wife, daughter and unborn grandchild. I can't go till I know."

Lily smiled; she understood this need completely.

"I still can't believe Remus is married and having a baby," James said. "I guess he has changed a lot in the last sixteen years or so."

"He isn't the best husband," Ted said. "But Dora loves him so much. When he isn't there she is so broken. It was painful to watch. It amazed me how much power he had over her."

"What did he do?" Lily asked, reading between the lines.

"First he left her hanging for a year," Ted said. "She was so sad. He told her he was too old and broken for her. I think he hates himself."

"Now that sounds like Remus," James said. "I never was able to convince him of his own worth." He sighed.

"Then when he finally married her," Ted said, "he freaked out when she got pregnant. Dora said he believed the child would be like him and blamed himself for making her an outcast."

"Remus was always good at the self-destructive stuff," Sirius said. "But from what you tell me and what I know of Remus, I believe that he loves your daughter very much."

"Then why did he leave her?"

"But you have already said why," Sirius said. "He thought she would be better off without him."

"I don't know how he could have believed that!" Ted said.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"She was a wreck when he left," Ted said. "Again it frightened me how much power his presence had on her happiness."

"You are using past tense," Lily said. "It got better, didn't it?"

"Yeah," Ted said. "He came back. I don't know why. I am not even sure if he told Dora why."

"Did you see his face when he saw her after being away?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because that is how you know," Lily said.

"Know what?" Ted asked.

"How much he loves her," Lily said.

Ted smiled. "Yeah, I noticed the look of amazed wonder on his face when he saw her."

"Remus was never one to wear his emotions on his sleeves," James said.

"But when he is really happy," Sirius said, "you can tell."

"Yeah," Ted said absent-mindedly. He was thinking about all the encounters he had had with his son-in-law from the point of view Remus's best friends had given him.

Suddenly everyone jumped. They had heard a shriek come from somewhere out of their immediate area.

They turned. Sirius was the first to speak.

"Now I have my revenge at last."


	19. Ch19: Less than Nothing

**Chapter Nineteen: Less than Nothing**

"Why?" cried the little man before them. He no longer had rodent-like features. But he was in no way as youthful as the others.

"I would never," sobbed the pathetic lump on the floor. "I wouldn't. He knew that, didn't he? But why? WHY?"

The lump cried harder than ever.

"Peter," Sirius sneered loudly. "So glad you could join us."

Peter looked up and squeaked.

The little rat ran from them like his life depended on it. Some instincts don't remember that they are dead.

"Oh no, you don't!" Sirius said, and a massive dog went chasing after the rat.

"I really don't think he needs help," Ted said. "Do you?"

"No," Dumbledore said calmly.

A few minutes later the dog came into sight again, carrying something in its mouth.

The dog looked very pleased with itself, skipping along.

They heard a squeak as the dog squeezed the rat in its mouth, before dropping it.

As soon as Peter hit the ground he tried to run again, but James was too quick for him.

"Just don't let him go," Sirius said to James, while Peter wriggled in James's hands. "Unless you want to catch him next?"

"Actually," James said slowly, and let go of Peter.

Peter took off again.

"What did you do that for!" Sirius said.

But James didn't hear him; he was already a stag running after a rat.

"You shouldn't have asked that," Lily said, giggling.

"I didn't know he would do that!" Sirius said.

Lily continued to giggle.

"That looks like fun!" Dean said, pulling on Lily's robes again. "When do I get to try?"

"Not sure," Lily said. "And I don't think that is a game anyway."

"It looks like one to me," Dean said.

But before Lily could answer Dean, James returned.

He also had Peter in his mouth. The difference was that it had looked much more natural for a dog to carry a rat in its mouth.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Sirius said, taking Peter out of James's mouth. "My turn."

The stag nodded.

"That is so creepy," Lily said. "Stags don't nod."

"How long have you known me?" James asked. He had turned back into a human as soon as Sirius had taken hold of Peter.

"That depends," Lily said, "are we counting both living and dead quality time?"

James laughed and said, "Yes."

"Then about," Lily said, counting on her fingers, "10 years alive and almost 16 years dead."

"Wow, have we really known each other longer dead than alive?" James asked, momentarily forgetting about his earlier point.

"Yes," Lily sighed.

James looked stunned for a moment.

"But we met when we were eleven," James said.

"Yes," Lily said, exasperated. "And we died when we were twenty-one. That is ten years."

"Wow," James said.

"Men," said Lily, "always forget the important things."

"Hey," James said, annoyed. "Just because I forget the times of things doesn't mean I don't remember the important things."

Sirius snorted, almost losing his grip on Peter.

Dumbledore, Dean and Ted looked bored.

"You must have the patience of a saint," Ted said to Lily, once the laughter had died down enough for him to be heard, "for putting up with him all this time!"

Lily smiled.

"Who would have thought," said James, looking at the rat in Sirius's hands, "that Moony would be the longest living Marauder?"

Lily suspected James was trying to direct the conversation from his own ineptitudes.

"You make a fair point," Dumbledore said. "He was the only one of you to have a health problem, after all. I think it is because you are all too reckless." He looked at Sirius.

"Watch who you're calling reckless," Sirius said.

"You did get yourself killed in a battle," James said.

"Yeah and you died in your house," Sirius said. "Doesn't that make me a hero and you a coward?" He grinned.

"Boys!" Lily said firmly.

James looked really mad now. He pulled Peter out of Sirius's grip and handed him to Lily.

Then transforming as he charged, he knocked Sirius to the ground, caging Sirius under his antlers.

Sirius grinned again.

The massive dog was too big to be caged by the stag's antlers and was up again in an instant.

"So I guess we are the ones who are going to have to bring Peter up to date then," Lily sighed.

"Looks that way, doesn't it," Dumbledore said, watching the two animals moving slowly away as they fought.

"I wanna play too," Dean said. He tried to follow James and Sirius, but Lily held him back.

"Stay here please," she said.

"I don't wanna," Dean said. "I don't wanna!"

"You know they can't hurt him," Dumbledore said.

"Yeah, I know," Lily said. "No one can get hurt here, but still…"

Peter stopped squirming in Lily's hands. She put him down.

But Peter didn't run away this time. He turned back into a human.

"What do you mean?" Peter asked. "Where are we?"

"Limbo," Dumbledore said, "where the dead go."

"Didn't you notice everyone here is dead?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Peter said. "And I remembered dying, but since I appeared here where I could still be heard, seen, chased and caught, I thought maybe I had survived somehow."

"Sorry to disappoint," Dumbledore said. "But we are all very dead here."

"I see that now," Peter said.

"How did you die, Peter?" Lily asked.

"My hand," Peter said and he looked down. "It's back." He had planned on saying 'my hand killed me', but once he looked down and found that the hand he had cut off was now not only back but made of cloud, he found himself understandably distracted.

"All injuries are healed here," Dumbledore said. "All minds cleared and emotions soothed."

"Yeah," Peter said, still marvelling at his hand.

"I'm sorry," Peter said to Lily, once he tore his eyes away from his new hand.

"For which thing exactly," Lily said.

"For all of it," Peter said.

"Don't listen to him," Sirius said. He and James were both walking towards them, human once again.

Sirius looked smug. He had won this time.

"Voices carry here," James said, answering the question he knew Lily was about to ask.

"But I am sorry," Peter said. "If I had been on your side maybe I would still be alive."

"See," Sirius said. "He is still out to save his own stinking skin even after he is dead!"

"Ignore him, Peter," Lily said. "You were about to tell us how you died."

"Right," Peter said, looking down at his hand again. "The dark lord gave me a hand to replace the one I gave him. I thought it was a gift, but…"

"Are you telling me," Sirius said, starting to laugh, "that you were murdered by your own hand?"

Peter hung his head.

Lily gave Sirius a look to shut him up. She wanted to hear what Peter had to say.

It was a long while before Peter spoke again though. Many times someone tried to fill the silence, but Lily wouldn't let any of them get far enough to be understood. She thought Peter needed silence to finish what he was saying.

Dumbledore thought Peter needed prompting.

"It was Harry saving your life, wasn't it?" Dumbledore said all at once so Lily couldn't stop him.

Peter looked up in surprise. "How did you know?"

"When one wizard saves another wizard's life it creates a certain bond between them. It is a magic Voldemort never bothered to understand, though I am guessing he did know enough to curse that hand he gave you," Dumbledore said.

"Curse it how?"

"If you even once thought of going against him in even the smallest way it would have killed you," Dumbledore said. "Or at least that is what I would expect he would have done."

Peter hung his head again.

"What is it that you thought of doing?" Dumbledore asked.

"Letting Harry go," Peter said in a small voice.

At the mention of Harry's name Lily, though she had already been paying attention, got a look on her face of complete awareness. Even James and Sirius were listening now.

"He was captured," Peter said, still in a very small voice. "He was taken to the Malfoy Manor. I was told to take them up to Miss Bellatrix. But when I got there they were free of their bindings and overpowered me."

"Harry reminded me that I owed him my life," Peter said, now speaking so quietly he wouldn't have been audible over a cricket. "And the thought crossed my mind for a second. Just a second!"

Peter started shaking.

"A second would be all it would take," Dumbledore said. "A man who prides himself on being the most evil wizard of all time wouldn't likely forgive a servant even a moment's hesitation."

Peter collapsed to the floor. He looked so pathetic.

"I am not even sure I can hate him like that," Sirius said, disgruntled and slightly disgusted.

"As I have said," Dumbledore said, "hate is not something that is ever useful. Fear, anger and even envy can be, but never pure unforgiving hate."

"I know what you mean now," Sirius said, "about letting it go."

Sirius turned to Dumbledore.

"Do you think Harry will be okay?" he asked.

"On which topic are you referring?" Dumbledore said.

"My death."

Dumbledore sighed.

"Your death hit him very hard, Sirius," Dumbledore said. "And I am sure mine was no picnic for him either, but Harry is far smarter or should I say more mature than either of you"—he looked from Sirius to James—"were at his age. He knows you would all want him to carry on and not waste his life on revenge."

James looked at Sirius, "I wish I could have told you that."

"It wouldn't have made any difference," Sirius said.

"I still wish I could have."

There was a moment of silence in which the stress across Sirius's face seemed to lessen, while James looked sad and Peter totally confused.

"What now?" Peter asked to no one in particular.

"What is always now," Dumbledore said. "Choices."

"More cryptic stuff!" Sirius asked Dumbledore before he could recite his poem. "What does it mean this time?"

"If I explain it, it wouldn't be cryptic anymore, would it?" Dumbledore said.

"Explain it anyway," Sirius said. "Cryptic is overrated."

Dumbledore sighed.

"There is always a choice to be made, isn't there," he said. "What to eat? When to get up? Where to go? Who to talk to? What to do? When to do it? Who to love? Though that isn't really always a choice, is it. No, I don't think it is. Anyway, the point is that life is made of choices. They are always what is now."

"You know what," Ted Tonks said, "I think I like the cryptic version better. That way you can interpret it anyway you like. And it sounds way cooler too."

"Thank you, Ted," Dumbledore said, "I always thought so."

"Though the explanation was very enlightening," Ted said. "Maybe you should find a happy medium."

"That was my thinking too," Dumbledore said. "And I thought I had till these people" —he motioned to Sirius, Lily and James— "decided it was annoying."

Ted laughed.

During this whole discussion Peter's gaze had been moving back and forth from Dumbledore to Sirius.

He was very confused, but it had nothing to do with the fact that he didn't know where he was, how to leave or what would happen to him.

What was confusing him was the simple fact that the people he had most feared for what felt like most of his life now didn't even seem to care that he was there. Sure they looked at him when he was talking, but if they started talking among themselves it was like he didn't exist.

"Hello!" Peter said, after the feeling of invisibility was too much.

Dumbledore, Ted, James, Lily and Sirius had continued to discuss the purpose, level of irritation and necessity of cryptic remarks while Peter had watched them.

"Oh, right," Lily said. "I forgot."

"So? Who cares where he goes," Sirius said, unconcerned. "Anyway, as I was saying—"

"What do you mean 'where he goes'?" Peter said. "Where is there to go? And why are you all ignoring me?"

Sirius looked annoyed at being interrupted. He turned to Peter with a look on his face that made Peter take a step back.

"As I have already said," Sirius said, "I got my revenge. You are dead. Just as dead as the rest of us. This means we are through. You are nothing to me now. Not friend, not foe, not anything."

"Oh," Peter said in a small voice.

"Don't you think that is a little harsh, Sirius," Lily said. "I mean it was us he betrayed to Voldemort" —Peter winced at the name— "after all, not you."

"Same difference as far as I'm concerned," Sirius said.

"Oh, really," James said. "So it's you who has been waiting here for the last 16 years then, bored out of your mind?"

"Hey, I was as entertaining as I could be once I got here," Sirius said. "It's not my fault you died first!"

Lily, Dumbledore and Ted all burst out laughing at Sirius's last remark.

Peter just stared with nothing to say and nowhere to go.

"Unless you want to have him here forever," Dumbledore said to Sirius once the laughter died down, "I suggest someone gives Peter his choices."

"It doesn't seem right though, does it," James said. "To have him go to the same place as—"

"Albus, is that you?"

The voice had come from behind Dumbledore.


	20. Ch20: Little Helper

**Chapter Twenty: Little Helper**

"Yes, I am Albus," Dumbledore said, turning to face the speaker. "But most people call me Dumbledore. Who are you?"

"You don't recognize me then?" the man said. "I guess that makes sense. Since my hands seem to be made of cloud, I am guessing the rest of me is too."

Dumbledore looked harder and then gasped.

"Gellert," he said. "Gellert Grindelwald?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"Voldemort came looking for the wand you took from me in 1945."

"So he knows I had it then?" Dumbledore asked sharply.

"No," Grindelwald said. "I told him I never had it."

"Why did you do that?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, I knew he was going to kill me whether I told him or not," Grindelwald said. "And I was tired of living anyway. I figured steering Voldemort in the wrong direction was the least I could do after…everything else."

"That was good of you," Dumbledore said.

"Excuse me," Ted said. "Did you say Grindelwald? As in the dark wizard Dumbledore defeated in 1945?"

"Yes," Grindelwald said.

Peter edged away from him.

"I thought you were in prison?" Lily said, but warmly.

"I was," Grindelwald said. "I suspect my body is still there. I doubt very much Voldemort will have bothered to bury me." He chuckled at his own joke.

"Dumbledore," James said, "you act like you know him. Didn't you meet him in 1945?"

"I did not," Dumbledore said calmly. "We met the summer after I graduated from Hogwarts."

"WHAT!" Lily, James and Sirius said at once. Peter didn't dare speak. Ted looked ashamed.

"I read Rita's book," Ted said.

"Ah," Dumbledore said. "Just couldn't resist, huh?" He smiled.

Ted looked relieved.

"So what did Skeeter have to say on the subject of my little old life?" Dumbledore asked.

"Um," Ted said, "didn't Bathilda tell you?"

"She told me what she told Rita Skeeter," Dumbledore said. "But not how Rita chose to interpret it."

"So she wasn't right then?" Ted asked.

"There is every possibility that she was and that she wasn't," Dumbledore said unhelpfully.

"Ok-ay," Ted said slowly. "But she was right about when you met Grindelwald."

"Yes, quite," Dumbledore said, smiling.

"Well," Dumbledore said to Ted after a moment of awkward silence.

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to tell me how messed up my life is according to Rita Skeeter?"

"I wasn't planning on it, no," Ted said.

"And why not?" Dumbledore asked. "It sounds like more fun than just standing here."

"She didn't have many nice things to say," Ted said.

Dumbledore chuckled. "She never does."

"Are you sure you're fine with it?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said calmly. "She cannot paint a worse picture of me than I already have of myself."

Ted did not know what to say to such a remark, so he talked about 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore.'

"Ah," Dumbledore said when Ted had finished. "So she isn't as far off as usual."

"WHAT?" Ted said. "I thought you said she was wrong."

James, Sirius, and Lily—holding a bored Dean—were all watching Ted and Dumbledore's discussion intensely.

Peter no one seemed to notice. He probably would have left already, but no one had yet bothered to tell him how.

Grindelwald was listening, but since he knew most of it already he was not as interested as the other three.

"I did and she is," Dumbledore said. "Or at least she is off on most of the important bits."

"Are you telling me there is truth in this story?"

"There is truth in everything," Dumbledore said.

Sirius laughed so loudly everyone turned.

"Straight forward as usual then, eh, Dumbledore?" he said.

"I didn't get to read the book," Grindelwald said. "And now I am glad I didn't. But I do have one question: why did you never fix your nose?"

"A reminder," Dumbledore said sadly.

"A reminder of what, Professor Dumbledore?" squeaked a voice from behind Lily.

Everyone turned.

"On my goodness," Dumbledore said, turning to see who had appeared behind Lily.

"Dobby asked you a question, sir."

"Yes, you did," Dumbledore said. "But the answer isn't that interesting. What are you doing here, Dobby?"

The little elf was wearing all his favourite clothes and smiling up at them all. This meant that he was smiling up at them with four lopsided hats on his head, a different sock on each foot, a maroon sweater and swim trunks.

"Dobby doesn't know, sir."

"Sorry," Sirius said. "But who is Dobby?"

"Who are you?" Dobby asked Sirius.

"Sirius Black," Sirius said, taken aback at Dobby answering a question directed at Dumbledore with another question.

Dobby squeaked happily, "Harry Potter's godfather."

"Yeah," Sirius said. "How do you know that?"

"But Harry Potter is speaking of you all the time," Dobby said. "All the time."

"Are you friends with Harry?" Lily said kindly, setting Dean on the ground so she could lean down to Dobby's eye level.

"Yes," Dobby said. "Dobby is excellent friends with Harry Potter, miss."

Lily smiled. "I am Harry's mother."

"You are, miss?"

Lily nodded.

"Dobby is very happy in meeting you then," Dobby said enthusiastically, shaking Lily's hand. "Very happy indeed!"

"And this is Harry's father," Lily said, pointing. "James."

"Very happy to be meeting you too, sir," Dobby said, also shaking James's arm.

"And who is that?" Dobby asked. He was looking at Peter who was trying to hide behind his former friends.

"That is the reason we are all dead," Sirius said. He had meant it as a throwaway comment, but the elf took his remark very seriously.

Dobby walked over to Peter and punched him repeatedly with little fists.

"You is a bad person," Dobby said. "Very bad person."

Sirius's laughter seemed to fill the whole place.

"Okay, I like this one," Sirius said.

Dobby beamed at the family of Harry Potter, then turned around and saw Grindelwald.

"And who is that?" asked the elf.

"I don't know," Dean said. He had been following along after the elf since Lily had put him down. He liked that there was finally someone here his own height.

"Why don't you know?" Dobby asked, facing Dean.

"I wasn't paying attention when they were talking," Dean said wisely.

"You should have been paying attention," Dobby said. "These things are important."

Dean looked confused. Though Dobby was his height, he was not a child.

"Dobby," Dumbledore said, leaning down. "Can you please tell me the last thing you remember before appearing here?"

"Dobby can, sir," squeaked the elf. "It was just a normal day until Aberforth told me Harry Potter had called to him for help. He sent Dobby to help. Dobby apparated inside the Malfoys' and saved Harry Potter, sir."

"How did you save him?" Lily asked. She was now sitting on the floor next to Dobby.

"Harry Potter asked Dobby to take Luna and Olivander to the shell cottage and then come back again. Dobby did this, but when he got back Harry Potter and his friends were in danger! Dobby fought his old masters to save Harry Potter and got them all back to the cottage!"

Dobby looked very pleased with himself.

Then he looked down at where only moments before a knife had been.

"But when Dobby arrived at the cottage, sir," Dobby said, his little hand over where the wound had been, "Bellatrix's knife was in him. She had thrown the knife right before Dobby had vanished, sir, and it got dragged along."

Dobby looked sad for a moment but perked up quickly enough.

"But it is alright," Dobby said, "because Harry Potter is still alive thanks to Dobby!" He pointed to his maroon chest with pride.

"That was a very brave thing you did," Lily said. "Thank you."

And she hugged Dobby.

"Dobby can see where Harry Potter gets his goodness."

"But wait," James said. "In the sixteen years since we died we have not seen a single house-elf."

"So?" Sirius asked.

"So why is Dobby here?"

"Just the question I have been asking myself," Dumbledore said. "And I think I have come up with an answer: Dobby is a free elf."

"Why would that make a difference?" James asked.

"There are lots of elves that have been freed," Dumbledore said. "But there are not many that have remained so. Most freed elves find new masters before they die. I think this proves how similar house-elves are to wizards. Without their enslavement they come to the same place we do when they die."

"So Dobby is dead then, sir?"

"I am sorry, Dobby," Dumbledore said. "But yes, you are."

"What will Dobby do now, sir?" Dobby asked. "There is no work here. No way to make clothes!"

"I don't know," Sirius said. "I think the getup you have on right now is enough."

"Yes, but you must change clothes sometimes, sir," Dobby said. "Otherwise it is just boring."

"An excellent point," Dumbledore said wisely.

"You know I have been wondering that too," Grindelwald said. "If this is the end then where is everyone else?"

"You are quite right," Dumbledore said. "This is not the end."

From behind Lily, James and Sirius, Peter's ears seemed to prick up.

"I guess I can get it all over in one go this time," Dumbledore said. "Alright, this is Limbo. You have three choices. Stay here to await news. Return to earth as a ghost, or go on."

"So most go on then," Grindelwald said.

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "How did you guess?"

"The world isn't full of ghosts, and Limbo seems to be sparsely populated."

"You think it is lonely here now!" James said. "Just imagine what it was like for thirteen years with just me and the Missus."

"I am going to choose not to take offence at that," Lily said, standing up and giving her husband a look.

James had the decency to look apologetic.

"Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know," Lily said. "I was there."

"He's gone," Dean said, running over to Lily.

"Who's gone?"

"The one on the floor."

They all turned.

Peter was gone.

"I guess he overheard us telling them the choices and decided to split while he could," Sirius said. "Little coward."

"So, Gellert, what do you want to do?" said Dumbledore.

"You haven't called me Gellert in a very long time," Grindelwald said.

"Not true," Dumbledore said. "I called you Gellert when you first arrived."

"And what do you want to do?" Lily asked Dobby.

"Dobby is not sure, miss," Dobby said.

"How well did you know my son?" Lily asked. "Could you tell me about him, please?"

"Oh yes, miss," Dobby said. "Dobby will be happy to tell miss anything she likes about Harry Potter!"

"Great," Lily said, smiling in such a way as to make her whole face light up. "Why don't we leave them to their talking and go over here."

"Alright, miss," Dobby said and he followed Lily away from the group.

Dean sniffled. "She left."

"Yes, she did," James said, picking up Dean. "But she will be back."

"I'm bored," Dean said.

"Tell you what," James said. "Why don't the three of us"—he looked at Sirius—"go play while they talk?"

"Yeah," Dean said. "Let's do that!"

This left Dumbledore, Ted and Grindelwald alone.

"So, once friend and enemy," Dumbledore said. "What are you going to do?"

"Not sure," Grindelwald said. "So I guess that means I stay here a while."

Ted started to feel uncomfortable. Like he really shouldn't be there.

"I think I am going to go join the Harry Potter discussion," Ted said.

It was longer than any of them expected before someone they knew arrived in Limbo. Of course people showed up, but since none of them had any reasons to stay and talk with strangers, they did not linger long.

Only those with extremely strong ties to earth or the people in Limbo stayed for any length of time. And even those like Dirk who had a whole family left behind on earth stayed only long enough to learn of their family's safety, or to see their family follow them to Limbo so they could go on together.

Time passed whether Limbo noticed it or not. For Harry the time that passed meant planning with a goblin, but to those he loved in Limbo it meant small talk, laughter and peace.


	21. Ch21: Redemption

**Chapter Twenty One: Redemption**

"How long do you think it has been?" Grindelwald asked.

"There is no way to tell," Dumbledore said. "That is, I think, the point."

"Dobby thinks it has been long enough, sir," Dobby said.

"You mean you are going to leave now?" Lily asked sadly. She had become very fond of the elf during his time here.

"Dobby thinks so, miss," squeaked Dobby. "Though Dobby has loved to talk of Harry Potter with Harry Potter's family, Dobby wants to know what will come next."

"How do you know there is anything next?" Lily asked. "Sometimes I wonder why everyone doesn't just stay here."

"Dobby can feel it, miss," Dobby said. "And Dobby thinks you will be about to feel it too."

"Not yet though, Dobby," Lily said.

She got down on her knees and pulled the elf close to her. Dobby hugged her back happily.

"Dobby will see you on the other side, miss," Dobby said, and then added, "Don't cry." For tears were running down Lily's face.

James put an arm around Lily as she stood up.

"Dobby wants a hug from you too, sir."

And James let go of his wife's shoulder to lean down and hug Dobby.

"You were the best not-master a free elf could ever want," Dobby said to Dumbledore once he had let go of James. "Dobby is thanking you for taking Dobby in. sir."

"It was my pleasure, Dobby," Dumbledore said. "I am just glad you thought to come to me." His smile was warm as he looked down at Dobby.

Suddenly Dumbledore leaned down so low he was almost sitting; he went down till he was Dobby's height.

"No wizard should look down at you, Dobby," Dumbledore explained his actions.

"Please stop, sir," Dobby said. "You is freaking Dobby out!"

Dumbledore smiled and a slight laugh escaped him, but he did as Dobby asked and stood up.

"You should not be freaked out, Dobby," Dumbledore said. "You fought like a wizard to save a friend. You were not a slave fighting for a master. And best of all you are here! No other house-elf, as far as we know, has ever come here. It is we who should be bowing to you."

"Now you is really freaking Dobby out, sir!"

"My apologizes," Dumbledore said. "But I thought you ought to know."

"He is right, Dobby," Ted said. "Be proud of who you are."

"Dobby is thanking you, but Dobby is still…Dobby."

Ted smiled, and said, "And so you should be." Then he leaned down and hugged the elf too.

"Don't I get a hug?"

"If you want one, sir," Dobby said, turning from Ted to Sirius.

"Now I just feel unloved," Sirius said.

"Dobby is sorry, sir, but Dobby only has so much space in his head for remembering of things."

"You forgot me!" Sirius said, sounding annoyed to Dobby, but James could tell he was kidding.

"Sir must not be upset," Dobby said. "Dobby didn't mean—"

And Dobby stopped talking—this was partly due to the fact that James had started roaring with laughter and partly because Sirius's expression had changed from annoyed to slightly apologetic while still amused.

"Dobby does not understand."

"He was kidding," James said, no longer laughing. He could not keep up the laughter with Dobby looking so confused.

"Sorry, Dobby," Sirius said walking over to Dobby and leaning down. "I just couldn't help it."

"That is alright, sir," Dobby said. "Dobby is not mad."

"Good," Sirius said. "Because the last thing I want is you being mad at me."

Dobby smiled, and Sirius hugged him.

"Lily," Dean said, running up to Lily and pulling on her robes to get her attention.

"What is it, Dean," Lily said. Though she spoke sweetly enough, there was an air of no-longer amused parent in her voice.

"Everyone is ignoring me," Dean said. "I don't like it. Make them play with me again."

"I can't make them do anything," Lily said, picking up Dean to stop him pulling on her robes anymore. "Maybe later, okay?"

Dean did not look happy about this. He had been spoiled by the attention of otherwise bored adults for too long and was now relearning what it was like to not be the center of attention.

"Dobby is pleased to have met you even if Dobby knows you didn't used to be nice," Dobby said to Grindelwald.

"Thank you," Grindelwald said sincerely.

"Me next!" Dean yelled from Lily's arms. "ME!"

And Dean half jumped out of Lily's arms to go hug Dobby too.

"Goodbye," Dean said when he had let go of Dobby.

"Yes," Dobby said.

Then he turned to address the whole group.

"Dobby must say goodbye now. So goodbye, my new friends; I will see you on the other side."

And he vanished.

"I think I should go too," Grindelwald said. "I have no reason to stay"—he turned to Dumbledore—"I will see you on the other side as well. Or at least I hope I will."

Suddenly there was a heart-breaking scream. It had come from Grindelwald.

Everyone looked at him with horror on their faces, everyone that is except Dumbledore who looked at his once co-conspirator with grief, pity and remorse.

"I'm sorry!" the voice was Grindelwald's, though his mouth never moved. It was as though his soul was crying out.

All at once, the screaming stopped and Grindelwald was gone.

"What happened?" James and Sirius said at once. Lily was still too shocked to speak. Dean was clutching her leg. Ted was also looking to Dumbledore for an answer.

"Those who have done great wrong have more to fear from death than the innocent," Dumledore said sadly.

"You mean there is a hell?" James asked.

"Hell? Heaven?" Dumbledore said. "They are just meaningless words we humans have created. We like to name everything it seems."

"You know what I meant!" James said. "And we haven't seen that happen to anyone else!"

"During the height of his power Gellert Grindelwald was second only to Voldemort himself," Dumbledore said. "No one else who was ever truly evil has been here in the last sixteen years."

"There was that Death Eater that came with you," James said. "He didn't go like that!"

"How do you know?" Dumbledore said. "Were you watching?"

"I thought not," Dumbledore said, reading the answer in their faces. "And besides, a lowly Death Eater could never match the evil of a true dark wizard like Grindelwald."

Dumbledore sighed. He seemed to be letting more than just air out of his lungs. Though of course there was no air here and his lungs no longer functioned; the illusion the mind creates can communicate just as well.

The soul remembers its body and thus can mimic its ways. But a soul damaged by evil will not shine so bright.

"Didn't you notice," Dumbledore said, "that Grindelwald didn't look like us?"

"What?" Ted said.

"He did not look young like us," Dumbledore said. "He looked far older here than he did the last time I visited him in prison."

"And when was that exactly?"

"Three years before I died," Dumbledore said.

"You don't age that much in three years," James said.

"Not physically, no," Dumbledore said quietly.

"What do you mean by that?" Sirius said.

"Must you ask me to explain all the inner workings of my mind?" Dumbledore asked Sirius.

"Yes."

Dumbledore sighed.

"Souls do not age with the body," Dumbledore said. "Your soul ages with destruction, grief and evil. It remains young through love, innocence and joy. How else can life be explained?"

"Life?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, and left it at that.

"Oh no," came a young female voice from behind them. "This means I am out of the fight."

"You are far too young to be fighting," Dumbledore said, turning around to face the girl.

"I am of age," the girl said defiantly. "And I made a choice!"

"What are you talking about," Dumbledore asked and then suddenly gasped. "I know you! You are a Hogwarts student! Why are you here? What is happening to my school! Who is killing my students?"

"Hey," the girl said. "We aren't your students anymore! You died on us, remember?"

"Answer my questions!" Dumbledore said with so much force, the girl stopped speaking. Dumbledore's eyes, no longer blue, but still able to make you feel as if you were being x-rayed, stared into the girl's face.

None of the people standing around Dumbledore now had ever seen him so intense upon the answer of a question.

"Her!" Dean suddenly yelled and, wriggling out of Lily's arms, he ran to his oldest sister.

"Dean!" the girl cried. "Mum would be so happy to know you are okay."

"I am dead," Dead said. He was standing right beside her now and looking up at her with a huge grin on his face. This did not help to give his words more gloom.

"Yes," the girl said. "But you are happy and free; that is what matters." She smiled.

"So you know you are dead then?" Lily asked.

"Of course," the girl said. "I am surrounded by dead people right after agreeing to fight on the losing side of a wizarding war against the most evil wizard of all time."

"Well, when you put it like that," Ted said.

"What is happening at my school!" Dumbledore shouted.

"Harry Potter came and inspired a revolution."

It had not been Dean's older sister who had spoken. Another young person had appeared in their midst.

"Hi," the boy said.

"So they got you too, huh," Dean's sister said.

"Yep," the boy said.

"Her," Dean said, looking at his sister, "you shouldn't be here. Mum will be sad."

"She will be okay," the girl said, cradling her little brother in her arms.

"Why does he called you 'her'?" Lily asked softly.

"When he first learned to talk he couldn't say Iona, but he did notice people refer to me as 'her' sometimes, so he decided to call me that," Iona said happily.

Lily smiled warmly. She thought that was adorable.

"What's happened since I died, Theo?" Iona asked.

"Not much," Theo said. "I died and some more people fought."

"Clouds?" came a very stupid deep voice.

"Crabbe?" Iona said, half laughing. "Who got you?"

"Fire," Crabbe said.

Dumbledore was freaking out now.

"This is not how it was supposed to happen," he said. "I tried to protect my students, not get them killed fighting a hopeless battle."

"That's where you're wrong, Professor," Theo said. "It isn't hopeless. Harry Potter is at Hogwarts right now on a mission."

"Yes, yes, I know," Dumbledore said. "I was the one who gave him the mission."

"Then there is even more hope than I thought," Theo said, undeterred.

"Her," Dean said, looking up at his sister, "will you stay, please?"

"Stay?" Iona asked. "There is a way to go?"

"Oh, right!" Dumbledore said. "I had totally forgotten."

And he recounted the choices once again.

Crabbe just started stupidly at him. He still hadn't grasped the fact that he was dead; let alone how he was made of cloud.

Iona looked down at her little brother. "Why have you been here so long?" she asked.

Dean pointed at Lily, "She is nice," he said. "And they"—he pointed at James, Sirius and Dumbledore—"are fun to play with."

Iona smiled and hugged her brother. He wrapped his arms around her neck and didn't let go.

"What were the options again?" Crabbe asked.

"I will tell you," Sirius said, "if only to make sure you leave."

"Where am I?" Crabbe asked.

"Hell," Sirius said, so only Crabbe could hear him.

Crabbe looked scared now. He backed away from Sirius.

"What did you say to that poor boy?" Dumbledore asked.

"Nothing," Sirius sniggered.

Iona joined in laughing, "I don't know what you said, but the reaction you got out of him was great!"

Sirius looked at Iona with new interest.

"Got a sense of humour then?" he asked.

She grinned fiendishly.

"Yes!" Sirius said, almost to himself and then added, "Do you wanna hear a joke?"

James roared with laughter, "She is WAY too young for you, mate."

"Hey, we are all young here."

Iona had just figured out what was going on, and burst out laughing.

"Sirius—Black," she said between laughs, "is—trying—to—flirt—with—me!"

Sirius looked a little put out.

Then another laugh joined the group.

"That was great!" the newcomer said. "Now I have a question. If I am dead then where are my 100 virgins?"


	22. Ch22: Floods of Youth

**Chapter Twenty Two: Floods of Youth**

"You know what?" Sirius said. "That's a fair question."

"Another died too young," Dumbledore said sorrowfully.

"Any news to report?" Iona asked the new arrival.

"Nope," the new boy said. "So no one recognizes me then?"

They all shook their heads.

"I suppose I shouldn't take it too hard, since colour would have helped you out a lot."

"What colour?" Ted asked.

"Red."

"Weasley!" Sirius said.

A smile spread slowly across Fred's face.

"The one and only Fred Weasley at your service."

Dumbledore collapsed.

"What's wrong with him?" Fred asked.

"Guilt, I think," Iona said sadly.

"What the hell for," Fred said. "Does he think he could have prevented our deaths?"

"No," Dumbledore said so softly no one heard him, but he got up off the ground.

"I am being silly," he said. "I no longer have any power over the living. I shouldn't blame myself."

"That's better," Fred said cheerily. "So guess what?"

"What?" Iona and Theo said.

"Percy made a joke!"

"Really?" Sirius said. "I didn't think he was capable."

"I know right!" Fred said.

"Prongs?"

"Moony!" James cried, turning around to hug his best friend.

Sirius quickly joined in the group hug, followed closely by Lily.

"I am so happy to see you, old friend," Remus said.

"Same here," James said. "Though I also wish you weren't dead."

Remus pulled away from his friends and suddenly they were all staring at him.

"Wow," Sirius said. "Mate, I wish we had a mirror 'cause you look great!"

"What?" Remus said, moving his hands to his face.

Remus did indeed look much better. As if he had never been a werewolf. His hair was dark, his face smooth, and he had an air of freedom around him he hadn't had when he was alive. He felt lighter and stronger and more himself than he had ever felt before.

"I can't believe it," he said, marvelling at the feel of his own face.

"REMUS!" came a desperate cry from a little ways away.

And suddenly a woman came running towards Remus. She looked stunning as well, but in a more unique way. Her appearance was changing as she ran toward him. Changing to the rhythm of her soul.

As soon as she reached him she positioned herself safely in his chest and closed her eyes.

"Love?" Remus said, totally shocked but cradling her next to him nonetheless.

"Of course," Tonks said, opening her eyes and looking up at him. "Who else would it b—" She gasped.

"Wow," she said, running her hand over his face. "Your true soul I have always seen and loved shines through. You look as beautiful on the outside as I have always known you to be on the inside." She stroked his face as if trying to memorize it.

"That is not what's important right now," Remus said, choosing not to comment on his soul. "You were winning your fight; what happened?"

To everyone's surprise, Tonks looked guilty.

"I saw Dolohov kill you," she said in a small voice.

Remus pulled away from her with an angry look on his face.

"So you thought it wise to get yourself killed and leave our son all alone?"

"I didn't think at all!" Tonks yelled back. "I just acted."

"Why must you love me so much!" Remus yelled. "Why?"

"I don't know," Tonks yelled. "I just do."

Remus couldn't yell at her anymore. He sighed and pulled his wife into his arms again, where she closed her eyes once again, content.

"I thought so!" Ted said. "I knew you would be the death of her!"

"Dad?" Tonks said, looking up. "You're here too?"

"Yes, I am," he said. "And I heard what you said."

"I was not the death of her," Remus suddenly spoke with pure defiance against his father-in-law. "We were fighting a losing battle. A battle in which a split second's distraction can cost you your life. She saw me die. It would distract anyone."

"But why, Dora," Ted said. "What about your mother?"

"She has a beautiful baby to look after," Tonks said.

"But he is your baby!" Ted said. "Why didn't you want to stay with him? Why did you fight?"

Tonks looked at her father and the answer was written across her face.

"We wanted to create a better world for Teddy," Remus said. "We fought for him, not to abandon him."

"Teddy?" Ted said. All the anger had gone out of his voice now.

"Yes, dad," Tonks said. "We named him after you." She smiled and, leaving Remus's arms, she hugged her father.

"Mother misses you so much!" Tonks said.

"I know," Ted said. "I miss her too."

"As lovely as this all is," Fred said. "We have a problem."

"What?"

"Limbo is getting mighty crowded!"

Fred was right. While Remus, Tonks and Ted had been talking to each other, confused people had started appearing all over the place.

Most looked like students. Some were adults and there was one who was wearing a cloak over his face.

"Who are you?" one of the students asked the hooded man.

"Someone who doesn't want to talk to you," the man said.

The boy left.

This man was a Death Eater but not a very important one. He had been killed by a mandrake's scream and wasn't in a good mood, despite where he was.

"What is going on?" the smallest boy there asked. He had just appeared next to Iona.

"Which part?" Iona asked.

"Where am I?"

"Dead," Iona said. "Next question?"

"Wow," Lily said. "She is even worse at tact than you, Sirius!"

"I will take that as a compliment," Iona said.

"I'm dead?" the boy asked.

Lily went over to him.

"Yes," she said. "I am sorry."

"I wanted to fight," the boy said. "I didn't really think I would die though."

"What's your name?" Lily asked.

"Colin," the boy said, "Colin Creevy."

"But you are not of age," Iona said. "How did you get into the fight?"

"I snuck back," Colin said.

"Okay, people," Sirius said, as Dumbledore was still in too much shock to really be useful. "Listen up!"

"Yeah," Iona said. "'Cause we have something to tell you."

The whole place fell silent. They all wanted information.

"This is Limbo," Iona said. "And you are all dead."

"Wow, she really is worse than me," Sirius whispered to Lily and then, raising his voice, he added, "Yes, but don't worry; this isn't the end. You have three choices."

The choices were given, but people were showing up at such an alarming rate that Sirius, James, Iona, Theo and Lily had to tell everyone else to pass on the message.

There were now over fifty people in Limbo.

"So how long do you think they will stay here?" Sirius asked James.

The two of them were standing off from the main group. Lily was with Iona and Dean. Theo and Fred had discovered they had a lot in common and Ted, Lupin and Tonks were all huddled together in a corner.

"I don't know," James said. "As long as they like I guess. It's weird; I was so used to this place being empty all the time."

"Me too, mate," Sirius said.

Dumbledore decided to avoid the new arrivals like the plague. Though he had said he wasn't blaming himself he still was, at least a little.

There were just so many of them. And all so young.

"I thought I would never see you again."

Dumbledore turned.

"Severus," he said, "I hoped you wouldn't join me here, at least not so soon."

Snape looked better now than he had alive but he wasn't quite as glorious as the others. He was in fact close enough to his normal self no one but Dumbledore really noticed a change.

"Well, here I am," Snape said. "And as much as I am glad to see you again I want answers, Dumbledore. I did everything you asked. Now tell me why I did them."

"So you told Harry everything," Dumbledore said eagerly.

"Yes."

"Excellent!" Dumbledore said. "Then it won't be long now!"

"Won't be long till you destroy everything we have worked to protect for the last sixteen years!"

"We shall see," Dumbledore said gleefully.

"What have you been protecting since I died?" Lily asked.

She had just left Dean and Iona to themselves and was headed back to James when she had heard the time: sixteen years.

Snape didn't have anything to say once he saw Lily. He froze.

"Again, Lily," Dumbledore said, "I am not allowed to tell you."

"Why not?" Lily asked for the millionth time.

"Promises I must keep even if I don't understand them," Dumbledore said.

"Break them," Snape said in a voice so small that only Dumbledore heard him. "We are all dead, so it doesn't matter anymore."

"You mean you will let me tell them?" Dumbledore said.

Snape nodded slightly.

"Well, why didn't you tell me that I was allowed to tell from beyond the grave, before I died?" Dumbledore said. "I mean really, Severus. It would have saved me a lot of tediousness."

"Why did you try and keep a promise meant for the living?" Snape said, angry once again, but one look from Lily quelled his anger.

She turned to Dumbledore and asked, "Now will you please tell me?"

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "You will want to hear this too, Severus."

But Snape didn't remove his gaze from Lily. Lily was looking at Dumbledore, so she didn't notice.

"It was Severus that overheard the prophecy that led to your death," Dumbledore began, addressing Lily. "He relayed it to Voldemort, but upon hearing whom Voldemort was to attack realized what he had done. He sought me out and pleaded with me to protect you. He said he would give me anything in return. That was how I knew you and James needed to go into hiding. Once Peter betrayed you, Severus found me once again. He was angry at me for not keeping up my end of the bargain. I ask him if he would help me protect Harry. I reminded him that Harry had your eyes." —by now Snape's cheeks were blushing silver— "He agreed to help me protect Lily Evan's son. He has been working to help me ever since. Spying on Voldemort for me and putting himself in great danger while doing so."

Lily turned to Snape. "So you have been on our side since I died," she said softly.

"Since your life was put in danger," Dumbledore corrected.

Lily turned back to Dumbledore and said, "Continue."

Now Dumbledore turned to Snape, "What I was never able to tell you, Severus, but what I had to tell Harry is that Voldemort created six Horcruxes or at least he planned on creating six. In the end he made seven. Harry being the seventh. This meant that only an eighth of his soul remained in his body. I told Harry all I knew of Voldemort and of where the Horcruxes might be and in my will I left him and his friends the clues to the Deathly Hallows. This means now that you have told Harry of my plan he will go straight to Voldemort and surrender his life willingly."

Lily looked horrified. Snape's expression was unreadable.

"You have sent him to his death!" said Lily, the grief and rage plainly written on her face.

"That is the wonderful thing," Dumbledore said, "I haven't."

"How is that possible!" Snape said. "No one can survive Avada Kedavra."

"Except Harry as long as it is Voldemort who does the spell and Harry doesn't defend himself."

"That doesn't make any sense," Snape said.

"Oh, but it does," said Dumbledore. "When Voldemort returned to power he took some of Harry's blood, hoping to have the same protection you, Lily, gave Harry when you died. What he didn't know is that since they both have the same protection the curse will fail. Not only will it fail, but Voldemort will actually be destroying the Horcrux he didn't know he made."

"But then why did Harry have to give himself up willingly?" Snape asked.

"If Harry is willing to give his life to save his friends, not only will the Horcrux be destroyed but his attempt to die for the ones he loves will shield them from Voldemort. He won't be able to hurt them and Harry will be able to finish it. And if he defended himself, it wouldn't have worked."

"So you're saying that you lied to me," Snape said, "as well as kept things from me."

"I am sorry, dear friend," Dumbledore said. "But there was no other way. You had to believe it 'cause Harry had to believe it. The only way he can survive and succeed is if he believes with his whole being that there is no way he will survive."

Lily turned from Dumbledore to Snape.

"And you did all of this for me?" she asked softly.

Snape couldn't speak. He just nodded.

Lily walked over to Snape slowly and wrapped her arms around him. She hugged him tight and he hugged her back, full of an emotion he could not identify.

"Thank you," Lily whispered softly in his ear.

And Snape knew it was happiness he was feeling.


	23. Ch23: Half a Conversation

**Chapter Twenty Three: Half a Conversation**

"Oh my God, it's Snivellus!" Sirius said, elbowing James.

Lily, Snape and Dumbledore had just re-joined the main group. But before James, Sirius or Snape could say anything else, Lily jumped in.

"You two are going to SHUT UP," she said with so much authority both men fell silent.

"It is nice to see you smile, dear friend," Dumbledore said, for Snape was smiling joyfully. Lily yelling at James and Sirius about being nice to Snape was, to Snape, the best thing ever.

"What are you talking about, Lily?" James said. "Just recently you thought he was just as bad as the rest of us did."

"No, I didn't," Lily said, and Snape perked up again. "I said I didn't know how the stories I had heard about him could be true."

"But why are you defending him now?" Sirius asked, or you could say growled.

"I know more now than I did," Lily said. She turned to Dumbledore, "Could you tell them please."

But before Dumbledore could say anything, Snape jumped in. "Don't!" he said.

"And why not?" Dumbledore asked.

"It's too embarrassing," Snape said. "I would rather they just hate me."

"But you didn't want Lily to hate you," Dumbledore said.

Snape blushed silver.

"Oh my God," James said loudly. "You have a crush on my wife!"

And he charged.

Snape only avoided the stag's charge by jumping behind Lily.

James would have charged again, but Lily moved forward to stand between them.

"Stop," she said loudly and calmly, but with a great deal of power packed into her beautiful voice.

Snape smiled.

James looked furious but wouldn't attack again with Lily in the way. And as the rage was wearing off he remembered that he couldn't even injure Snape here so what was the point.

As James calmed down, so did Sirius. He too remembered that there was nothing they could do to Snape here.

"There is something I think Severus will let me tell you," Dumbledore said. "It was Snape who told me Voldemort was after your family, James."

"You mean he was your spy?" James said, shocked.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, "since before you died."

"So does that mean it is him you have been keeping all those secrets for?" Sirius said.

Dumbledore nodded. Sirius looked shocked.

"But wait a minute," James said. "You said Sniv—I mean Snape was the one who killed you. If he was your spy, why did he do that?"

"Because I asked him to," Dumbledore said calmly.

James didn't know what to say to that, but Lily did.

"Why did you want to die?"

"There is no way you who died so young could possibly understand."

"Try me."

"I was dying anyway," Dumbledore said. "Oh, my own foolishness. But Severus was kind enough to help spare me pain and humiliation."

"So are you going to tell me what happened to your hand then?" Snape asked.

Dumbledore sighed, "I guess I can now, can't I? Though it is strange, after keeping so many things to myself for so long."

Snape waited.

"I put the ring on, because it was one of the Deathly Hallows."

"That is a children's tale," Snape said.

"Yes, it is," Dumbledore said. "But it also happens to be true. Or at least it is true that the items in question exist. Whether or not they were gifts from Death himself is neither here nor there."

"How can you know that?" Snape asked.

"Because," Dumbledore said, "I found them."

"You were the master of Death?" Snape asked sceptically.

"Oh goodness, no," Dumbledore said. "But I have had the Elder wand since 1945. I found the resurrection stone in the ring that cursed me and James here showed me his Cloak just before he died."

"My Cloak was a Hallow?" James asked, shocked.

"Harry's Cloak now, but yes," Dumbledore said. "That's why I was so interested in it when you showed it to me. Why I asked to borrow it."

"I always wondered why it was so perfect," James said. "Even when spells were cast to expose the Cloak it never changed."

"This explains a few instances when I wasn't able to find Potter," Snape said. "But why after all the time we spent together did you never tell me, Dumbledore?"

"Forgive me, Severus," Dumbledore said. "But I have no excuse this time."

"I have a question," Fred said, joining the group. "If you were on our side all along then how come you cut off my brother's ear?"

"That was an accident," Snape said.

"How could something like that be an accident?" Fred asked.

"I was aiming for the Death Eater that was about to kill the man with your brother," Snape said.

"Lupin," Fred said.

"If that is who was with him then, yes," Snape said.

"But you were flying with the Death Eaters!" Fred said, still unconvinced.

"Yes," Snape said. "And it is very lucky for you that I was."

Fred didn't know what to say to that.

"Who do you think Confunded Mundungus into coming up with such a foolproof way of getting Harry out of his aunt and uncle's unscathed!"

Fred looked stunned, but Dumbledore said happily, "I thought so."

Lily smiled, happy the friend she once knew wasn't totally gone.

"Really?" Ted said, laughing as he, his daughter and her husband came walking slowly back to the group.

"Yeah," Tonks said. "Mum said it was the wildest thing she ever saw."

"To say the least—" but Lupin never finished his sentence. He had just caught sight of Snape.

"You!"

"Me," Snape said back.

"You almost killed us," Lupin said, calm but with great anger buried in his voice.

"That was probably how it looked," Snape said; then he turned to Dumbledore and said, "Am I going to have to explain this to everyone here?"

"I am afraid, old friend, that if you insist on being seen as the bad guy that is how you will be treated," Dumbledore said.

Snape didn't look happy about this.

"What did we miss?" Tonks asked.

"Lots," Lily said.

"And then I got Dumdor to go round and round and the others were all there too," Dean said from his sister's arms as both of them and Theo walked toward the group. "And then when they were animals that was way fun too! And this one guy that was here for a while was fun, but he wouldn't play till right before he left and it was awesome, but when he left I was sad, and this other guy left too ages ago and that was sad…"

Iona loved her brother, but even she wasn't listening anymore.

"Hi, guys," Theo said, and then he noticed Snape and punched the air triumphantly.

"So who got you, Professor?" Theo said, adding a patronizing tone to the word 'professor.'

Snape didn't look happy but answered honestly.

"The Dark Lord's snake," he said.

"What?" Dumbledore said. "You didn't tell me that."

"You didn't ask," Snape sneered.

James and Sirius burst out laughing.

"Taste of your own medicine, huh, Dumbledore," James said.

"I have to admit being out of the loop isn't a good feeling," Dumbledore said. "But it happens so rarely to me." He emphasized the last two words enough to make James and Sirius stop laughing.

"So have any of the students here decided what they want to do yet?" Fred asked.

It had been a while since Snape had shown up and everyone was starting to think the battle was over.

But they still had the problem of so many people in Limbo.

"I don't think so," Iona said.

"I guess it is just going to stay crowded then," Fred said.

"I like lots of people," Dean said, "it's more fun."

Suddenly they heard a cry come from the group they had just left.

After a moment they were able to make out a word: Remus.

"What is wrong, Dora?" Ted asked his daughter.

"Remus is gone!" Tonks said. "He was standing right next to me and now he is just gone."

"Lily is gone too," Snape said.

Snape probably felt as bad as Tonks did, but he wasn't showing it.

"I don't see James or Sirius either," Dumbledore said. "I wonder…" But he didn't say anything else.

"What do you wonder, Dumbledore!" Snape yelled. "What has happened to Lily?"

"I think Harry is using the gift I left him," Dumbledore said. "Don't worry; they will all be back soon." He smiled.

Snape felt a bit better but was still worried. Tonks was standing next to her father, looking totally lost.

"What do you mean they will be back soon? Where did they go?" Snape asked.

"Back to earth I think," Dumbledore said.

"They are alive?"

"Oh no," Dumbledore said. "There is no way to do that. They are likely little more than slightly ghosts."

"I didn't feel like a ghost."

The fear and confusion left Snape's face as he saw Lily appear out of nowhere and answer Dumbledore's question.

"Me neither," Remus said, appearing next to Tonks.

James and Sirius had appeared at the same time as both Lily and Remus.

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked enthusiastically.

"Harry is as tall as me," James said. "But he looked so old."

"What do you mean?" Snape said. "Potter is seventeen."

"Yeah, he is," James said. "But his eyes were older."

"He has changed so much," Lily said, "since the last time I saw him."

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "I am afraid children usually do change quite a lot between the ages of fourteen and seventeen." He smiled. "Now can you answer my question?"

"Why?" Lily asked. "You never answer mine."

Sirius sniggered.

"Remus?" Tonks asked. "Why don't you tell us?"

"I felt this pull on my body," Remus said. "Like a rope or something, but I couldn't see it."

"That was what it was like last time," James said. "When we came out of the wand."

"And then I knew all sort of things I didn't before," Remus said. "I knew what to say and what was happening and that everything would be okay."

Lily smiled. "It was almost exactly the same as before, except we weren't vapour or mist."

"Yeah," Sirius said. "It felt more like we were there, but not quite. We were attached to Harry. We went where he went."

"Then the stone works like I thought it did," Dumbledore said. "With just a few small differences."

"What differences?"

"Do you hear that?" Dumbledore asked, ignoring James's question.

"Hear what?"

"I think it is coming from over there." And Dumbledore left without a second glance.

"What was that about?" Sirius asked, totally confused.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"You got to go back to earth," Fred said, "and you didn't bring me anything!"

He, Iona and Dean had all been listening to the conversation but had not decided to contribute to it till now.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sirius said sarcastically. "What was it that you wanted?"

"A new pair of shoes obviously," Fred said.

Dean giggled.

"You're funny," Dean said, pointing at Fred.

"Oh, you think so, do you?" Fred said. "What about this?"

And Fred scooped up Dean from Iona's arms and spun him around to try and make him dizzy.

Fred was however forgetting that here in Limbo no one can get dizzy or nauseous.

"Yes, I do!" Dean yelled happily between giggles, while being spun around and around.

"…you wonderful boy. You brave, brave man. Let us walk…"

The voice was Dumbledore's, but no one could tell where it was coming from, that is until Theo spotted him way off in the distance talking to no one.

"What is he doing?" Lily asked.

"No idea," Snape said. "But if I had to guess I would say he thinks he is talking to someone."

"But he can't be," Lily said. "Can he?"

"Does the resurrection stone work in reverse too?" Fred asked.

"And that, will, I think, have made all the difference," Dumbledore said apparently to no one.

"And I thought he couldn't get any odder," Sirius said.

"You're right, mate," James said. "This proves it. He has officially lost his marbles."

"…but you already know…" Dumbledore said. He looked so happy. Snape had never seen his mentor so before.

"What do you think that meant?" Lily asked. "Who already knows what?"

Everyone shrugged.

"…something that is beyond either of our help…"

"This is too weird," Fred said. "I love it!"

"I wish I could hear everything he was saying," Lily said. "If voices didn't carry here, I doubt if I could hear even this."

"We will just have to ask him whenever he comes back," James said.

Sirius laughed, "If he answers us of course."

"…he tethered you to life while he lives…" Dumbledore said louder than whatever he had said before.

"…the Horcrux he never meant to make…part of himself latched to you…is a truth he has never grasped…"

"Okay now that is just nonsense," Sirius said. "Like little bits of a whole or something."

"I believe that is exactly what it is," Snape said.

"Who could he be talking to, though," Lily said. "Or think he is talking to."

"Do you think he could be talking to Harry?" James asked.

"That is what it sounded like in the beginning," Snape said. He found he really didn't care either way. He had had enough of Harry Potter to last him two lifetimes already.

"But if he is talking to Harry then why couldn't he take us with him?" Lily asked. She would have loved nothing more than to be with her son again.

"Just add it to the list of questions we will have to ask him when he is done being crazy," Sirius said.

"…journeyed together into realms of magic hitherto unknown and untested…might never have murdered at all…more afraid that you were that night…your enormous courage…own deadly skill…"

"Now we are getting into murder, huh?" Theo said; it seemed that everyone was gathered together trying to make out what Dumbledore said next.

"Looks like," Fred said. "You wanna try and make sense of it?"

"Someone was more afraid than someone else one night when skills mattered?" Theo said.

"Really specific, isn't it," Fred said.

"Yeah," Theo laughed.

"…a wand like any other…"

"Okay, I am bored of this now," Sirius said. "We are just going to get more and more confused till he explains."

"Shhhh," Lily said.

"…kill you with my wand…minimise your suffering…"

Lily gasped.

"See, I told you," Sirius said.

Lily silenced him with a look.

"…where would you say that we are…good gracious, really…"

"I don't think he knows where he is," Lily said. "I wonder what he is seeing right now?"

"I don't know!" Sirius said. "Why don't we just wait and ask him?"

"Mate," James said, "just let her listen. Go run laps or something."

Sirius gave James a dirty look, wacked him playfully across the side of the head and left on four legs.

"Me too," Dean called after Sirius. Dean wiggled till Fred let him go then followed Sirius as fast as he could.

"…this is as they say, _your_ party…"

"Party!" Fred said. "Now there's an idea! If only we could still eat."

The next moment James jumped about a foot in the air.

"What did you do that for?" James asked the barking dog with a child on its back who had just banged into him on purpose.

"Sirius, be quiet," Lily said, "I can't hear Dumbledore."

"I'll get rid of him," James said to the dog waggling its tail enthusiastically and, with one last glance at Snape, he changed. A stag joined the dog.

During this whole thing Remus, Tonks and Ted had been listening, though they weren't quite as engrossed as Lily. They, like Sirius, thought they would just ask Dumbledore when he got back.

At this point, they all left. Tonks had missed her father very much since his death and wanted to spend as much time as possible with him now. Ted also wanted to hear more about Teddy.

Fred, Theo and Iona decided to stay to try and make a joke out of whatever Dumbledore said next.

Lily of course wanted to listen, in case Harry was mentioned. Snape wanted to be near Lily.

"…forgive me…" Dumbledore said; he no longer looked happy. Now he looked like a boy. A boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"...fail as I had failed…you are the better man…"

"I really hope he isn't talking to Harry," Snape said.

"Why?" Lily asked.

Snape muttered something Lily didn't understand.

"Oh, I get it," Fred said. "You don't like that Dumbledore might think Harry is better than him."

Snape glared at Fred.

Lily sighed, and continued to listen hard to Dumbledore.

"…I was such a fool…no secrets…"

"I haven't seen him that sad before," Snape said. "But a minute ago he looked so happy. What could he be talking about?"

"I don't know," Lily said. "But I hope he finishes soon. I have so many questions."

"…why the Cloak was in my possession…hardly believe what I was seeing…borrowed it…at last, all to myself…"

"James's Cloak," Lily whispered. "They are talking about James's Cloak."

"You're right," Snape said, "but why would they be talking about that?"

"If only we could write these questions down," Fred said. "'Cause I doubt we are going to remember them all."

"I doubt even more that we will ever find a pencil and paper here, mate," Theo said to Fred.

"…I was selfish…a remarkably selfless person, could possibly imagine… in anger and bitterness…young leaders of the revolution…heart of hearts…"

"I think he is telling this person everything!" Snape said. "Absolutely everything! He never told me all that."

"If it makes you feel any better," Lily said, "he doesn't usually tell us much either."

"…be truly master of death…more admirable brother…dead upon the floor…"

"He's crying!" Snape said. "I have never seen him cry!"

"This is kinda creepy," Fred said, then turning to Iona and Theo he added, "You wanna leave?"

"Yeah," Theo said.

"Crying headmasters are really the limit for me," Iona said, nodding.

The three of them left. Theo and Iona started telling Fred all about their last year at Hogwarts. Specifically about all the pranks the DA had managed to pull on the Death Eaters.

"…the price of my shame…not to be trusted with power…leadership thrust upon them…truth I feared…snuffed out her life…had to do what I could…"

"This is just getting depressing," Lily said to Snape, who was now the only one there with her listening to Dumbledore.

"Yeah," Snape said softly. "I knew he had a rough past, but I never thought…" Snape trailed off when he heard Dumbledore speak again.

"…lost my head…unworthy…Cloak…could never have worked for me as it does for you…"

Snape sighed. "He is talking to Potter. Or at least he thinks he is."

"How do you know?" Lily asked.

"The Cloak," Snape said. "That Cloak is Potter's. He couldn't be talking to anybody else."

"…at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons…seek to run away from death…worse things in the living world than dying…he does not love…existence of twin cores…what gift you possessed that he did not…poor Severus…"

"Me?" Snape said, confused.

"No 'poor you,'" Lily mock quoted.

"...my intention…but it did not work…"

"What went wrong?" Lily asked Snape. "If you worked with him, don't you know?"

"He didn't tell me much," Snape said. "I learned more once I got here than I ever did back on earth."

"…choose to return… chance finished for good…less to fear coming here than he does..."

"I think it is almost over," Lily said. "But I can't tell what he is advising Harry to do."

"…don't pity the dead…above all those who live without love…ensure fewer souls are maimed…you a worthy goal…goodbye…"

"You're right," Snape said. "He is coming back."

"…Of course this is happening in your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real."

And suddenly Dumbledore snapped out of his trance and turned around. He saw them and started walking toward them.

"Won't be long now," he said.

"What was that about?" Lily asked.

"What was what?"

"Who were you talking to?"

Dumbledore blushed silver and seemed to try and sink out of sight.

"You heard that?" he said in a very small embarrassed voice.


	24. Ch24: Questions and Evils End

**Chapter Twenty Four: Questions and Evils End**

"Yes, we did," Lily said. "And we have a few questions for you."

"Oh, look over there," Dumbledore said. "Isn't that cloud nice?"

No one looked.

"Who were you talking to?"

Dumbledore hung his head. "Harry," he said.

"How is that possible?"

"Very complicated magic that I did before I died," Dumbledore said. "But I didn't think it would work."

"So does anyone remember the questions we thought of before?" Sirius asked. He, James and Dean had come back when they noticed Dumbledore.

"I remember mine," Fred said; he, Theo and Iona had also returned. "Does the resurrection stone work in reverse?"

Dumbledore laughed a little then said, "No."

"Okay," Fred said. "There I helped. Now does anyone else remember their question?"

"Why couldn't we see Harry too?" Lily asked.

"I have already explained that," Dumbledore said, but when Lily continued to look confused he elaborated. "I did something before I died. An experiment of my own invention. I didn't think it would work and I couldn't take anyone else with me."

"What was the whole murder thing about?" Theo asked the one question he could remember.

"What are you talking about?" Dumbledore said.

"You said someone was more scared than someone else and something about skills," Theo explained.

"Oh," Dumbledore said. "That was about Harry and Voldemort's encounter over two years ago. I was trying to explain it to him."

"Why didn't you just explain it to him at the time?" Sirius asked.

"He wouldn't have understood then."

"And why was that?" Sirius said. He was pretty sure the answer was 'because I hadn't told him something important yet,' but wanted Dumbledore to say it.

He didn't get his wish however, because Lily interrupted Dumbledore's reply.

"How come you didn't know where you were?" she asked. "And where were you?"

But don't feel too bad for Sirius, since he was only going to get something like 'some things hadn't happened yet' from Dumbledore anyway. Or something else vague and unhelpful.

"It was Harry's dream, not mine," Dumbledore said. "He saw King's Cross Station."

"Why do you think Harry is better than you?" Snape sneered.

"I do not think anything like that," Dumbledore said.

Snape looked relieved until Dumbledore continued, "I know."

"How can you say that!" Snape said.

"Because I know my own weaknesses, Severus," Dumbledore said. "And they are far less than Harry's."

"But…" Snape said. "No."

"Yes," Dumbledore said firmly. "And I am starting to get sick of this. You get two more questions. That is all."

"But you have barely told us anything yet!" Lily said.

"Why were you crying?" Snape asked.

"Old sins never wash away," Dumbledore said.

"That isn't an answer," Snape said.

"Nevertheless you have one more question."

"I have too many questions to pick one," Lily said.

"What intention of yours failed?" Snape asked.

"Oh that," Dumbledore said. "Well, my intention was to leave you the Elder wand, Severus."

"Me?" Snape looked stunned.

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "If I had died undefeated like I had planned, then you would have gotten it. Even without the extra powers it is a remarkable wand."

"What went wrong?"

"Draco disarmed me before you got there," Dumbledore said. "And then Harry disarmed Draco a few months later so, though Riddle took the wand from my tomb, it is Harry's."

"Wait a minute," Lily said, "How can you know that Harry disarmed Draco?"

"When I went to see Harry," Dumbledore said, "I found that—"

"Harry," Snape said, vexed enough to stop Dumbledore from finishing this explanation. "He has my wand and now he knows all about me."

"Yes," Dumbledore smiled. "He finally knows the real you."

Snape muttered something under his breath.

"So why did you want us all to think you were evil anyway?" Fred asked.

"It was easier," Snape said.

Fred laughed. "Easier, huh? Well, it won't be easy now. I bet Harry is going to tell everyone who you really are!"

"Just as long as he doesn't name his kids after me," Snape said with a slight shiver.

Dumbledore laughed, "And how would you know if he did?"

Snape chose not to answer that question.

"Look, look!" Dean yelled from Sirius's shoulders. "Cloud swirl."

Most of them turned to look, including Dumbledore.

"Ah," Dumbledore said. "He is very efficient."

"Who?"

"Harry," Dumbledore said. "Who else?"

"You mean that snake image in the clouds means something to you?" James said.

"Oh yes," Dumbledore said. "It means we are winning the war."

"Not the last time I looked," Remus said. He, Tonks and Ted had all re-joined the group a little late. They had been too absorbed by what they were saying to notice Dumbledore's return straight away. "But I will agree that Harry is efficient."

"What do you mean by that?" Lily asked.

"Harry is the reason I was happy when I died," Remus said and he went on to explain all about how Harry had made him return to his wife and son.

"Wow," James said. "I didn't even raise him and he still knows exactly what I would have wanted. I guess there is something to be said for genetics."

Snape looked totally unimpressed by this.

Ted didn't really have a reaction, but this wasn't because the news was nothing to him. He had already heard the whole story from Remus and his daughter, while they were off on their own.

"Anyway," Remus said, "what were you saying, Dumbledore, about us winning the war? The war we were losing, last I checked."

"A lot has happened since you died," Dumbledore said.

"How can that much happen in an hour?" Remus asked.

"Like what?" Tonks asked Dumbledore.

"That snake image you saw over there," Dumbledore said, answering only Tonks's question, as he didn't understand Remus's.

For Dumbledore knew time and meaning were not related. A lifetime can be pointless while a moment changes all of creation.

"That," Dumbledore said, "is Voldemort's snake. How close do you think someone would have to be to kill Voldemort's favourite living thing?"

"Very close," Tonks said, smiling.

"Dumbledore," one of the unnamed students said, coming up to him. "Someone new is here."

"Did you ask them what their name was?"

"Yeah, but he wouldn't tell me."

"Very well, I am coming," Dumbledore said, and followed his former student.

"Who do you suppose it is?" James asked.

"Don't know," Fred said, "but it has to be someone from the battle."

"Why are we all standing here, when we could have followed Dumbledore and found out for ourselves?" Sirius said.

Everyone mentally hit themselves over the head and followed Dumbledore.

"That is wonderful news," Dumbledore was saying to the new arrival. "It won't be long now till we see your immortal leader here." Dumbledore was smiling. This meant the completion of all he had worked for.

The newcomer was hooded and masked.

The Death Eater glared at Dumbledore

"You are a fool," he said. "The Dark Lord will never be defeated!"

"Everything ends," Dumbledore said. "Even Lord Voldemort."

The Death Eater just gave Dumbledore another glare and turned away. He walked away till he was out of sight in the crowd.

"Someone else can give him his choices," Dumbledore said. "Either he will have to ask around or be stuck here forever."

"Sounds good to me," Fred said.

"If only I could punch him," Sirius said. "That would really make my day."

"You could punch him, mate," James said. "It just wouldn't hurt him."

"Then there really isn't any point is there?" Sirius said sadly.

"Hey," Remus said. "Look over there."

They all turned.

Dolohov stood just a little ways away from them. He was grotesque. And the look of confused horror and anger on his face was not helping his appearance.

"Looks like you are the last to die and the first to be avenged," James said to Remus. "So not fair."

"At least you are partly avenged," Sirius said to James. "Peter is dead."

"Voldemort killed us, though," Lily said.

"Yeah, but my stupid cousin killed me," Sirius said. "Talk about your messed up family." He laughed.

Tonks walked over to Dolohov.

As she walked over to him her appearance changed. She looked powerful and amazing.

"Hello," she said calmly. "You will never be whole again."

There was a blast of light and Dolohov collapsed to the ground.

"How did you do that?" Remus asked his wife, once he had walked over to her.

"I guess metamorphmagus aren't born," Tonks said. "They are part of the soul." She smiled.

"How does what you just did have anything to do with being a metamorphmagus?"

"I don't know," Tonks said. "But I knew I could do it as soon as I saw him."

"What exactly did you do?"

Tonks smiled, "I changed his soul."

"Where am I?" Dolohov asked.

Everyone chose not to answer him.

But someone wanted answers.

"What is happening in the living world," Dumbledore asked. "Who killed you?"

"Fighting," Dolohov said. "The little professor hit me with a spell and I fell till I was here. Where is here?"

"You are dead," Dumbledore said dryly, turning away from Dolohov, "And you are not worth any more of my totally useless time."

Dolohov walked away from them totally confused. Maybe another Death Eater would fill him in. Maybe they wouldn't.

"How did you change his soul?" Remus asked. He was so in awe of his wife right now that he couldn't stop staring at her.

"I am not totally sure," Tonks said. "But it feels like we will find out when he tries to move on."

"How did you do it?"

"I looked at him and my hatred fuelled me."

"You are becoming as cryptic as Dumbledore," Remus said, smiling. He wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh my God, what is that thing!" the cry had come from someone in the crowd.

"Get away from it!" someone cried.

The crowd dispersed.

And there was a thing.

You couldn't call it a person for it looked far more like a wolf than a human. There were human aspects to the face and hands but not enough to recognize.

"I think," Remus said, "that I am avenged again. This does seem to be my day, doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Tonks asked.

"I believe this is Fenrir Greyback."

"One moment," Tonks said, and she walked toward it.

"At this rate," Sirius said, sniggering, "every person that ever did you wrong is going to suffer at the hands of your wife."

Remus laughed weakly.

"You," Tonks said to the rather confused wolf, "will suffer."

And Tonks summoned all her hatred for the thing that had caused the man she loved more than life to think himself not worthy of her.

The light was brighter this time. And the wolf not only collapsed but screamed.

"Man, I could really have used her when Peter was here," Sirius said. "I wanted to harm him so badly." He sighed.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT BLOOD TRAITOR KILLED ME!"

Someone new had appeared in the crowd. But there were so many people in Limbo now that no one could see who it was.

That is until the crowd started to part. It seemed no one wanted to be near this new arrival. But Greyback was still being given a wider berth than the newcomer.

"That BITCH!"

"Oh my God," Sirius said exasperated then changing his tune he burst of laughing. "She looks horrible."

"Now you are both avenged before me," James said. "And I died first!"

"Hee hee," Sirius said mockingly. "Though apparently I owe a blood traitor my avenge-ness."

"That doesn't really narrow it down much though, does it?"

"Nope."

"The bitch part would indicate a woman though," James said. "How many female blood traitors do you know?"

The hideous women suddenly noticed Sirius.

"YOU!" she said.

"Me," Sirius said, still laughing.

The woman charged at Sirius.

But before she got halfway to her victim, her victim had become a four- legged, massive dog.

This meant that when she did bang into him, all she did was bounce off him.

Sirius started to laugh even as his dog self. It was strange to watch; a dog laughing.

"LET ME GO THIS INSTANT!"

Sirius didn't.

He had her around the middle in his teeth and was shaking her back and forth as hard as he could.

If she had been paying better attention, she would have realized that the lack of injury and dizziness she was experiencing meant something.

With one last swing, Sirius threw his killer in a huge arc far away from them.

"That's one way to take out the garbage," James said chuckling.

"How come she looks so horrible, when we all look so great?" Fred asked Dumbledore.

"Destruction, cruelty, and evil," Dumbledore said. "Shows on the soul."

"In that case," Fred said, "how come she looks that good?"

Dumbledore chuckled.

Bellatrix was now far away from them and suddenly realized the only people who knew what was going on were all her enemies.

She decided to make her way back.

"Maybe a friendly Death Eater will tell her what is going on?" James said half-heartedly.

"She killed Dobby," Lily said.

"And me," Sirius said. "So no sympathy, James."

"Hey, I wasn't sympathizing," James said, annoyed. "Just stating facts."

"WHAT IS GOING ON?"

Bellatrix was back.

No one answered her.

"I believe the reason no one is telling you," Dumbledore said, "is that we don't like you."

"To put it mildly!" Sirius said.

"I DEMAND YOU TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON!" Bellatrix tried again.

And didn't get an answer.

She screamed in frustration and was about to stalk off to find someone who would help her, when Dumbledore spoke again.

"One thing I will tell you," he said, "is this: Voldemort will be joining you shortly."

Bellatrix laughed loudly and coldly as only she could.

"FOOL," she said. "You got me, I will give you that, but he is forever! Forever powerful."

To Bellatrix's utter astonishment, Dumbledore smiled.

"I will let that go," he said. "But I would like an apology when he does join us."

"Oh and just out of curiosity which bitch of a blood traitor killed you?" Sirius asked. "I want to send her flowers."

Bellatrix gave Sirius a dirty look, and tried to spit on Dumbledore but found she had no saliva. Disconcerted by the lack of something she had always had, Bellatrix turned away from them into the crowd which parted for her, not out of fear but out of revulsion.

The same could also be said for Greyback, though I think people were a little bit more disgusted by him than by Bella.

"I guess she isn't going to tell us," James said.

"It's funny," Sirius said. "I didn't really want to know till she wouldn't tell us. Oh well, we will get it out of her eventually." He smiled.

"No."

"Did you hear something?" Dumbledore asked Lily.

Lily shook her head. "Why?" she asked.

"I thought I heard…" Dumbledore said. "Never mind."

"There are a lot of people here," Lily said. "I wouldn't be surprised if you're just catching a part of someone else's conversation."

"No."

"There it is again," Dumbledore said. "Excuse me."

"Where is he off to this time?" James asked.

"Not sure," Lily said.

A moment later they heard a great yell of triumph.

"Bella," Dumbledore yelled, "I would like that apology now."


	25. Ch25: Tom Riddle

**Chapter Twenty Five: Tom Riddle**

An evil laugh followed Dumbledore's statement.

"I already told you," Bellatrix yelled back, "you are a fool!"

"And you are blinded by obsession," Dumbledore said. "Come and see for yourself."

Bellatrix came, but only so she could further mock Dumbledore.

"No."

"Stop saying no, Tom," Dumbledore said. "It will not change anything."

"Don't tell me what to do, old man!"

"NO!" But this time it wasn't Riddle who spoke.

"NO!" Bellatrix screamed again.

"Okay, we are all equally avenged," James told Sirius. "Are you happy now?"

"Yes."

James rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"Why does he look so not-there?" Lily asked, unsure how else to say it.

"Only an 8th of him is here," Dumbledore said. "The other 7/8 of him are no-longer."

Tom looked down at himself, horrified.

The body he had so mutated into what he wanted was gone. He looked like his Muggle father. But it was worse than that. His Muggle father had at least been handsome. Tom couldn't see his face, but his hands told him enough.

"Master," Bella cooed, "what has happened to you?"

Tom hissed at her. He didn't need anyone.

"And once again, Tom," Dumbledore said, "you fail to understand the value of that you don't care for."

The mostly transparent Tom Riddle glared at Dumbledore.

"What must I do to be rid of you?" he asked, thinking that killing him obviously hadn't been enough.

"Oh," Dumbledore chuckled, "there isn't anything you can do. Not anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, Tom," Dumbledore said, "you are dead."

"No."

"Oh, yes. Dead as a door nail, though exactly why door nails are dead, I will never know." He sighed.

"I am still here," Riddle said defiantly.

"Yes," Dumbledore said patronizingly, "but you are no longer living." He emphasised the last few words as if speaking to a dim person.

Riddle still looked unconvinced.

"Oh, Tom," Dumbledore said. "Whoever told you death was the end really messed you up."

"I can't be dead," Riddle said. "I can still speak, hear, see."

"This is hopeless," Dumbledore said. "I will be back."

"Where do you think he went?" Bellatrix said.

"I don't care," Tom said.

Moments later Dumbledore returned with Lily, James, Snape, Sirius, Theo, Fred, Iona, Tonks, Remus, Ted and Dean.

Riddle was scared. Totally terrified of those he'd killed.

He stared in terror at his victims, wanting nothing more than to escape from them.

"It is really hard to hate him when he is so pathetic," Fred said. "Hey, Tonks."

"Yeah."

"Could you zap him too?"

"Nope," Tonks said. "The anger that fuelled me before is gone. And he doesn't inspire any in me."

"Too bad," Fred said. "I would have loved to see that."

"So Potter did it then," Snape sneered. "Interesting."

Riddle looked at Snape with resigned understanding on his face.

"The boy was right about you then," he said.

"If he saw the memories I left him then yes, he probably was," Snape said.

"Even about the Mudblood I killed?"

"That Mudblood has a name," Lily said defiantly, appearing from behind Snape.

Riddle hissed, or tried.

"You were merciless," Lily said, "but I won anyway." She grinned.

Riddle laughed. "You silly girl. I killed you. I won."

"You weren't listening to what I said before I died, were you?" Lily asked.

Riddle didn't say anything.

"I said I would do anything to save Harry. That was my mission. And Harry lives despite your best efforts. I beat you just by dying."

"Lily, you did more than that," Dumbledore said. "Or don't you remember what I told you when I first arrived?"

Snape looked more interested than Lily. He had never heard this before.

"What?" Snape asked.

"Lily," Dumbledore said, "if you hadn't died he" —Dumbledore motioned to Riddle— "wouldn't be here."

"Explain it again, Dumbledore," Lily said. "I think it would be fun to watch his reaction."

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "You saved Harry which in itself was extraordinary, but in saving Harry you made him more than just your son. He became the child from the prophecy. You gave him the protection and Riddle here gave him the power. But you also gave him the will to fight. You inspired Snape to change sides and he was a huge help to me. You sent Voldemort into hiding for almost fourteen years! You changed the tide of a war."

"Let's say you are right, Dumbledore, for the sake of argument," Riddle said. "Are you telling me that if I had just ignored the prophecy, I would never have been killed?"

Riddle still didn't want to believe he was dead.

"Goodness, no," Dumbledore said. "As I said before you were far too extreme to live for long. What I am saying is that if you hadn't tried to kill Harry it wouldn't have been Harry who finished you in the end. It would have been someone else, some other time. For all I know it would have been fifty years till another means of defeating you came around."

"That doesn't make any sense," Riddle said. "Give me a straight answer."

Dumbledore laughed. "Everyone says that."

Dumbledore turned away from Riddle and faced the whole of Limbo.

"Attention, please," he said, loudly and firmly.

Everyone fell silent.

"Tom Riddle is here," Dumbledore said. "The battle is over. Good triumphed over evil. If any of you were waiting for news, your wait is over."

"There is no good or evil," Riddle said, not loud enough to carry far, but Dumbledore heard him. "Only Power."

"Look around you, Tom," Dumbledore said. "What do you see? Are the evil not easily distinguishable from the good?"

Tom didn't know how to answer that. He too had noticed the change in his Death Eaters. It seemed he had to question everything he knew or be lost.

"That was not the news I wanted," Dolohov said, from the crowd. "But it will do. I am already sick of this place."

And he tried to move on.

Nothing happened.

He tried again; still nothing.

"What did you do to me?"

Tonks giggled.

"Just wait for it," she said.

Everyone waited.

Then after a moment, Dolohov broke into two. Right down the middle. Nose to naval.

A scream came from both halves of his mouth. And another scream was there too. Overlapping with the first. It was from his soul, just as Grindelwald's had been.

Then suddenly the two halves vanished with one last piercing scream and what could have been a bolt of lightning.

"Wow," Sirius said to Tonks. "Remind me never to piss you off."

Tonks grinned.

Greyback, hiding away from everyone, suddenly looked just as terrified as Riddle, but no one noticed.

Bella was looking at her once master with an odd look on her face.

She wasn't sure if he was still the same man. He wasn't powerful or more impressive than her anymore.

He was barely there.

"Now," Dumbledore said to everyone. "There will be no more new arrivals here for quite a while I should think, so it is time we all decide where we want to go. Dolohov went on a bit violently, but don't worry that won't happen to you unless you are evil."

"I will leave it up to you when and where you wish to go, but know this," Dumbledore spoke with finality, "though you are gone from the world, you will not be forgotten. You have shaped the future by laying down your lives for the now. Those we fought for will know peace the likes of which we never did. And we can take comfort in that. Our job is done."

"Hear, hear!" came a voice from the crowd.

"Well said," someone else yelled.

The crowd was mostly comprised of students, but there were Order members and others who fought for Voldemort there too.

The Death Eaters were all huddled together a little ways away. Bella and Riddle were still near the main group.

"I helped!" Dean giggled happily from his sister's arms.

Iona smiled. She was an adventurer. She had fought in the battle after all, and she could already feel the desire to move on within her.

She looked down at her brother.

"I think I want to go," she said to him softly.

"Then I will go with you," Dean said. "I want to be with you always." He hugged her.

Lily sighed sadly.

"But first," Iona said gleefully.

She walked over to Riddle.

They were probably the same height, but she seemed to tower over him.

"That is for wrecking my school," she said, kicking him as hard as she could, "and that is for getting my little brother killed," —she kicked him again— "and this is for getting me killed!" And she punched him.

She knew none of this would really hurt him, but she still wanted to have her fun.

Dean had been watching her face the whole time and decided it was his turn now. She set him down.

"And this is for fun!" Dean said and punched Voldemort repeatedly with little fists.

Riddle would have intervened, but he was still marvelling at the lack of pain. This above anything made him realize he was dead.

"Okay," Iona said. "I am ready to go on now."

"Not yet!" Dean said.

Dean ran over to James and hugged his leg. He ran to Sirius and was thrown up in the air. He hugged Remus, Tonks, and Ted then turned to Dumbledore.

"You were loads of fun," Dean said. "I hope I see you again." He hugged Dumbledore too.

Then he turned to Lily.

"I will miss you," he said, holding out his arms. Lily picked him up, and hugged him tight.

"I will miss you too," Lily whispered into his ear. "But I know you want to stay with your sister."

Dean sniffled, but nodded.

Lily put him down.

"Bye," Dean said to everyone. "I will miss you all!" Then he ran into his sister's arms.

Iona smiled, her little brother secure in her arms, and vanished.

"Man, I am going to miss her," Fred said. "She had a great sense of humour."

"Hey," Sirius said, "I'm funny."

"Yeah, but you're a dude, mate," Fred said. "Much less fun to pull pranks on."

"I see your point," Sirius said gloomily.

Theo laughed.

"Where did she go?" Riddle asked.

"That's right," Fred sniggered. "You don't know how it works here."

"Do you think we should tell him?" Sirius said mockingly.

"Probably," James said. "Unless we want him to be here forever."

"Don't even joke!" Sirius said in mock horror.

"Tell me!" Riddle yelled.

"Dolohov knew," Sirius said. "So all the Death Eaters probably know by now. Ask one of them."

Riddle hissed.

"Oh, that's right," James said. "Now that you are so pathetic they aren't scared of you anymore."

"True," Dumbledore said. "Even Bella has deserted you." He pointed to Bella, who was now huddled with the other Death Eaters. That is all of them except Greyback.

No one seemed to want to go near Greyback.

"Oh, Tom," Dumbledore said. "You really are the most lonely person there has ever been. And for this I pity you."

"I don't want your pity!" Riddle hissed.

"Nevertheless you have it."

"Then in your pity, tell me where the girl went."

Dumbledore sighed.

"She went on," he said, "or you can be a ghost."

"Ghost!" Riddle said. "Of course."

And he vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Why did you tell him," Sirius complained. "Now we can't poke fun at him anymore."

"Just wait," Dumbledore said.

And sure enough, only a moment later Riddle reappeared in the same smoke.

"Why didn't it work? If I am dead it should have worked!"

Dumbledore sighed. "You still don't understand, Tom."

Riddle refused to believe he was wrong, and tried again.

He vanished in a puff of smoke.

Then reappeared.

"You want to be a ghost," Dumbledore said.

"Of course I do!" Riddle said. "Death is the worse fate."

Dumbledore sighed. "You still don't understand."

"Why doesn't it work?" Riddle asked no one in particular. His desire to leave them and return to earth was so strong.

"Because, Tom, you tore your soul into so many pieces, there isn't enough of you left to send to earth," Dumbledore said.

"No! They were supposed to make me invincible!"

"I will only tell you this once, so listen closely," Dumbledore said. "You are dead. Beaten. You were too dangerous to live for long, Tom. Too extreme. You had to be stopped. The prophecy said as much. It has been fulfilled. Finished. You are finished by your own inability to understand the most basic concepts of life. That love, hope and loyalty are more powerful than you could imagine. That they can create an army from nowhere, when needed. That they can create heroes out of everyday people. You never understood."

"It was their love for Harry that made them fight. It was their love for those you killed that made them strong. Made them never give up."

"The dead are not to be pitied, Tom Riddle," Dumbledore continued with every eye upon him, "for they are free. As I have said before, you Riddle, are most deserving of pity. And once you realize why you will understand."

"Understand," Riddle mocked. "There is nothing I don't understand. I knew power you never dreamed of!"

"Ha!" Dumbledore said. "You have no idea what I dreamed, Tom."

"That is what the boy said," Riddle said, annoyed. He didn't want Harry to be right twice. It was enough that he had been right about Snape.

Dumbledore nodded.

"But that can't be right!" Riddle said defiantly. "You never dreamed of having the power I was brave enough to take!"

"You didn't meet me till I was already the person I am," Dumbledore said. "So how would you know?"

Riddle just continued to look confused.

"I would have thought you of all people would have read my biography," Dumbledore said. "Or at least made one of your Death Eaters read it for you."

Stunned silence followed.

"You wanted him to read that!" Ted said.

"Why not?"

Everyone just stared; everyone except Ted, who opened his mouth to answer then couldn't think of anything to say and closed it again.


	26. Ch26: Flipped Coin

**Chapter Twenty Six: Flipped Coin**

"It is all in your biography then, is it?" Riddle asked.

"Well, no," Dumbledore said. "The biography was rather wrong on many things, but it had some of the main parts right." He smiled.

"Like what?" Riddle asked.

"And why should I tell you?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"You're the one who brought it up!" Riddle said.

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "And why do you think that is?"

Riddle didn't know.

Dumbledore laughed lightly and said, "For fun, Tom. Fun! Do you even know what that word means?"

"To win," Riddle said.

Dumbledore sighed.

"You are hopeless, Tom," he said. "I blame myself of course, but still."

"Why would you blame yourself?" Lily asked.

"Dear Lily," Dumbledore said, turning to her. "I was the one who went to get him. I brought him to Hogwarts, even though I knew he wasn't normal. I saw the danger signs long before anyone else, but I ignored them. Thinking everyone deserves a chance." He sighed.

"But you just said it," Remus said. "A chance. Everyone does deserve a chance, Dumbledore. What about Hagrid? What about me?"

"Yes," Tonks said, holding her husband's hand. "Without your belief in chances what would have become of Remus?" She smiled up at him with love in her eyes.

Riddle looked physically revolted by this and made to move away from them, but no one took any notice of him.

"There is enough blame in the world without you adding to it," Sirius said.

James and Lily smiled at him. Remus and Tonks nodded. All around Dumbledore people were showing signs of agreeing with Sirius.

Tears were falling silently from Dumbledore's eyes. He wiped them away and smiled.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said. "To gain forgiveness from those who lost the most means more to me than I could ever tell you."

Suddenly they heard a huge but short-lived laugh coming from behind them.

They turned and found it was Bellatrix.

"May we know what is so funny, Bella?" Dumbledore asked. "Or is it a secret?"

"You!" Bellatrix said. "You are so…weird!"

"Why thank you," Dumbledore said. "I think that is the nicest thing you have ever said to me."

He smiled at Bellatrix.

"DON'T DO THAT!" she cried, creeped out by Dumbledore's smile.

"And why ever not?" he asked.

Bellatrix didn't answer; she just continued to look freaked out.

"So, Bella," Sirius said in a patronizing way. "Are you going to tell us who killed you or continue to leave it up to discussion?"

Again Bella didn't answer. She looked embarrassed.

"I will tell you," one of the other Death Eaters said.

Bellatrix tried to hit the Death Eater, but he ducked.

"Molly Weasley," the Death Eater said, once he was well out of Bella's reach.

"Well, good for Molly!" Sirius said.

"Yeah, go Mum!" Fred said.

"So that's who you were talking about when you arrived," James said. "I was wondering. There are so many people you would consider a blood traitor it was hard to narrow it down."

"No kidding!" Sirius said. "I think the entire planet would be considered a blood traitor if it was up to Bella."

Everyone, who wasn't a Death Eater, laughed.

"So," Ted said, "were you just making fun of him or did you really want him to read it?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said.

Ted rolled his eyes, while everyone else smiled at Dumbledore and his weird ways.

"Yes to which question?" Ted tried again.

"Both," Dumbledore said. "Or was I not clear?"

"Not very clear, no," Ted said.

"About as clear as mud," Sirius said.

Dumbledore laughed but did not elaborate.

"Oh, James," Lily said, suddenly remembering something and turning to her husband. "Are you going to tell Riddle who showed up here that you wanted to tell him about?"

James just looked at his wife, totally non-pulsed.

Lily sighed and leaned over to whisper in her husband's ear.

"Oh, right!" James said and then turned to Riddle. "Guess what, Tom?"

Riddle glared at James's use of his hated name.

"So way back when, a Muggle came here and we figured out that Muggles killed by wizards come to the same afterlife as wizards!" James said in his most anti-authority voice. The one he once used to annoy teachers.

Riddle looked horrified, but no one could tell if it was what James had said or how he had said it.

"That wasn't much of a reaction," Sirius said, annoyed. "I was hoping for at least a hiss."

Riddle was even more maddened at this, but realized from Sirius's comment it was his reactions they were after.

"What, now we don't even get an angry look!" Sirius said. "That is just no fun." He sighed.

"You shouldn't have told him we were just after his reactions, mate," James said, patting his friend consolingly on the shoulder.

"That was a good try, though," Fred said, smiling.

"Thanks," Sirius said. "But it wasn't one of my best."

"Were you just trying to mess with Voldy over here," Fred said, "or is that actually what happens?"

Voldy did not at all like being called Voldy, but he was FINALLY figuring out he had no power here.

"We thought it was what happened at the time," James said. "But when Dumbledore here died, he explained to us how it actually worked."

Fred turned to Dumbledore expectantly.

"What?" Dumbledore said.

"Explain," Fred said.

Dumbledore sighed.

"The Muggle in question, Frank Bryce, is as far as we know the only Muggle ever killed to make a Horcrux."

Fred still looked confused.

Dumbledore raised his arms in exasperation and walked off.

"Fine then!" Fred yelled at Dumbledore's retreating back. "I didn't want to get it anyway."

They could hear Dumbledore laugh as he moved away into the crowd of students.

"So what now?" Lily asked, once she could no longer see Dumbledore in the crowd.

"That voice you used on Voldy," Fred said, "I swear I have heard it somewhere."

"Oh, yeah," James said, smiling. "Did you by any chance find one of those stones I hid around the castle that insults anyone who finds it?"

"You did that?" Fred asked, looking impressed.

"Wait a minute," Snape said, "you" —he pointed at Remus— "said the piece of paper Potter had did that?"

"I got the idea from those stones," Remus said. "That was a lot of lying to come up with on the spot."

James and Sirius laughed. Even Lily smiled.

"Did you try and get my son in detention a lot, Severus?" Lily asked.

Snape changed his tune right away.

"No," he said.

Remus, Fred and many of the students laughed.

"Alright, fine," Snape said, after receiving a look from Lily. "I tried to get James's son in detention all the time, but I saved your son's life."

James burst out laughing so hard he almost fell over.

"I love your logic!" Sirius said. James was still laughing too hard to speak.

"That piece of paper you were talking about," Fred said, "if it was Harry's than it must have been the Marauder's Map."

"Oh, yeah," James said. "You gave it to Harry, didn't you?" He smiled.

"Yep," Fred said, "George and I stole it from Filch in our first year."

"And guess where Filch got it?" Sirius said.

"Directly from the manufacturers," Remus said, holding back laughter.

"I knew it!" Snape said. "So why did you try and convince me it wasn't?"

"Two reasons," Remus said, turning to Snape. "One I didn't want Harry to get in trouble for something James would have wanted him to do, and two if you got the map Dumbledore would have seen it and known what it was. Oh and I wanted it and knew it would be easier to get it off Harry than you."

"So three reasons then?" Sirius said, grinning.

"But even after you took it Potter still seemed to be using it," Snape said.

"Yeah, well, when you got me fired," Remus said, "I decided James would have wanted me to give it back to Harry." He grinned. "Call it my little revenge."

"Excellent!" James said. "High five!"

James and Remus slapped hands while Tonks and Lily rolled their eyes.

"Let me get this straight," Fred said. "The Map that taught me and George more than any teacher in Hogwarts was made by you guys?"

"Messers Moony," Remus said.

"Burn mark," Sirius said, "Padfoot."

"And Prongs," James said.

"Purveyors of Aids," Remus said.

"To Magical Mischief-Makers," Sirius said.

"Are proud to present," James said.

"THE MARAUDER'S MAP," they all said together.

Fred looked very impressed. Lily looked bored again. And Snape glared at them all.

"Nice improvisation with the burn mark," James said.

"Thanks," Sirius said grinning. "But to be honest I can't take all of the credit. I got the idea from my mother."


	27. Ch27: Thought and Debate

**Chapter Twenty Seven: Thought and Debate**

"Nice," Fred said. "I was wondering what that burn mark on the tapestry was all about." He smiled.

"Yep," Sirius said. "And man, am I glad she isn't here!"

James laughed.

"So, Marauders," Fred said, "what was the coolest thing you ever did?"

"That's a hard question," James said. Lily left. Snape followed her.

"What about in our sixth year," Sirius said, "when we jinxed the enchanted ceiling to rain stink sap." He laughed.

"Yeah," James said. "But I still liked our monthly adventures better."

"Hear, hear," Remus said.

"I don't know," Sirius said. "Some of those pranks were pretty sweet!"

"George and I turned a whole corridor into a swamp in our seventh year," Fred said.

"Awesome!" James said. Tonks left.

"Thanks," Fred said. "We did it to piss off Umbridge."

"Oh, right," James said. "That horrible teacher Sirius told us about."

"Yep," Fred said. "But whatever you think she was like, she was worse than that!"

"Did you have any particular reason for pissing off this teacher?" James asked, thinking about all the pranks he had pulled just for kicks.

"Yeah," Fred said, "Harry wanted to talk to Sirius and the only fire that wasn't being watched was Umbridge's."

"So that's how he got into the fire," Sirius said. "I wondered how he got through all the Ministry monitoring."

"That would be us!" Fred said, feeling very important.

"Did you two do anything else to piss her off?" Sirius said. "I only heard bits of it from number twelve and then I died before I could inquire further."

"Yeah, before we left we set off all the fireworks we had," Fred said.

"Just fireworks?" James asked.

"Oh course not!" Fred said, sounding slightly insulted. "They are called Wildfire Whiz-Bangs. If you try to stun them they explode. If you vanish them they multiply by ten and if they collide with each other they merge and become a new kind of firework."

"How many different varieties are there?" James asked.

"Over twenty," Fred said. "They kept colliding and making more! I think the coolest one was the little piglets."

"That is very cool," James said. "I am not sure if we ever set anything that cool on the castle."

"We did make the passage behind the mirror, though," Remus said. "I think that was fairly castle changing." He smiled.

"You made that!" Fred said, shocked.

They all nodded.

At this point, it was just James, Remus, Sirius and Fred standing together talking. Everyone else had left.

"We have a shop," Fred said. "We called it Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes."

"Sounds cool," Sirius said.

"Thanks!" Fred said. "We are pretty proud of it. Oh that reminds me."

He turned to James.

"It was Harry that gave us our starting capital," Fred said smiling.

"That son of mine seems to know exactly what I would have done," James said, smiling. "Your store sounds like something I would have supported."

"Yep," Fred said. "You Marauders were quite an inspiration to us."

"What did you sell at this shop?" Sirius asked. "All I remember about it was that your mother hated you working on it."

"You died before we got it going," Fred said and then went on to explain about extendable ears and all the other merchandise he and his brother had created.

Next the Marauders told a story about when Remus had almost gotten away from them.

Meanwhile in another part of the seemingly endless surface of Limbo, Dumbledore was staring off into space wondering what would happen now. Lily was talking with Snape; Tonks was talking with her dad. And all the students were clumped together talking and joking.

The Death Eaters were all together, but no one was talking.

Greyback and Riddle were on their own, as far from everyone else as they could get.

Snape was savouring every moment with Lily. He didn't know how much time he would have with her.

"So tell me about Harry?" Lily asked for what felt to Snape like the millionth time. He wanted to talk about Lily.

"He looks like James," Snape said.

"I know that," Lily said. "But does he have any of me in him?"

"Yes," Snape said. "He does. It is more subtle, but it is there."

"Like how?"

"He has your heart," Snape said. "Your eyes."

Lily smiled.

"You don't want to talk about this, do you?" she said, and received an answer from her friend's face. "What do you want to talk about then?"

"You."

"There isn't much to say about me," Lily said. "I have been here."

"Okay," Snape said. "So what have you been doing here?"

"Not much," Lily said, and then she started to tell him all about her time in Limbo. She didn't think it was that interesting, but Snape never showed any sign of wanting to talk about anything else.

Dumbledore was so pensive anyone who saw him would have thought he was sleeping while standing up.

He just started out into the vastness of this place.

He wanted to leave. He wanted to know how the next adventure would go, but he needed to be sure there wasn't anything else he had to do before he left.

Riddle didn't want to talk to anyone. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to know all the things he had been forced to understand. He wanted everything to be simple again.

The only thing he could think of doing was going on, but he was too scared. He had seen what had happened to Dolohov.

Tonks and Ted were talking of Andromeda and Teddy.

"He does that hair changing thing just like you always said I did," Tonks was saying to her dad.

"I thought he might," Ted said. "And was Remus right?"

"About what?"

"The wolf worries."

Tonks smiled. "No, of course not. I could feel that when Teddy was in me. But Remus just said I was hoping."

"You love him very much, don't you?" Ted said.

Tonks just smiled lovingly in answer.

"Mum was such a great help to me," Tonks said, "with Teddy."

"She is a wonderful mother," Ted said. "That is just one of the many things I love about her."

The students were running out of jokes. They couldn't think of any more games and they were all getting restless.

"What are we going to do now?" one of them asked Theo.

"I suppose if we don't want to be here we go on," Theo said.

"Yeah," another student said. "We won the war after all, didn't we?"

"Yes, we did," yet another student said, looking at Riddle far away from them.

"I think I am ready to go," a young girl in the back said. "Who wants to come with me?"

There was a number of 'yeah's and 'yes's from the crowd.

The students assembled were all smiling when they started to vanish.

The handful that was left decided to wait for Theo. He had kind of become their unofficial leader.

"I think we should say goodbye to the others," Theo said.

They were all in their own little worlds —Tonks with her father, Fred with the Marauders, Snape with Lily and so on— for quite a while. They didn't run out of things to say and they didn't get tired of hearing what was said.

It was Theo and the other students coming to say goodbye that got them all together again.

"What did you want to tell us?" Dumbledore asked once Theo and the students had gathered everyone together.

"We are leaving," one of the students said.

"And we wanted to say goodbye," another student said.

"And thank you for everything," Theo said.

"And we wish to thank you for all you have done," Dumbledore said.

"And wish you luck on your journey," James said.

"And hug you goodbye," Lily said, walking over to them as she spoke. She hugged as many of them as she could reach, till she got to the smallest of them.

"Goodbye," Colin Creevy said.

"Goodbye," Dumbledore said. "And I am truly sorry you died."

"At least my little brother is okay," Colin said.

"We never saw him here," Theo said. "And the world is a safe place for him to finish growing up."

Dumbledore nodded. "And you were all a huge contributor to that new world."

He bowed low to the students.

"Thank you," Theo said. Colin smiled and they all vanished.

There were no children in Limbo anymore. And with any luck there wouldn't be a child here again.

Those pulled from their conversations by Theo's departure now went back to what they had been doing.

Lily and Snape went back to talking about Lily's time in Limbo.

"I knew her," Snape said. "At Hogwarts."

"It must have been hard," Lily sympathized.

Snape nodded slightly. "What happened to you after Charity left?"

"You have a one track mind, don't you?" Lily sighed. "Why, Sev?"

Snape only had one answer for her. He had never been able to explain to himself why it was true; it just was.

"I love you," Snape said.

Lily smiled. She didn't know what to say. She cared about Snape, and in a way she did love him, but not the way he seemed to love her. She thought of him as an old friend. He clearly did not.

There should be more than one word for love, Lily thought.

"I love James," Lily said.

"I know," Snape said. "But you care about me, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Lily said, "but as a friend. I am sorry."

"I never thought I would see you again," Snape said. "I am just happy we have this time together. I am glad you stayed here so long. And in a way I am glad I died."

"Really?" Lily said. "But, Severus, you were so young. You could have done so much more."

"The only thing I have cared about for a long time is helping Dumbledore," Snape said. "He asked me to kill him and finish his work. I did so. There was nothing else I wanted from life."

His eyes told her what he didn't say: seeing you right now is worth more to me than the rest of my life.

Fred, James, Sirius and Remus went back to talking about mischief.

"That was way more than cool!" Fred said. "If only me and George had thought of it."

"Yeah, well, you didn't," Sirius said. "So the Rule-Breaking badge goes to…" Sirius spread his arms out indicating himself, James and Remus.

"Listen to us," Remus said, exasperated.

"I know," James said. "But why not? All the responsibilities of the world are gone."

"True," Remus said. "But at least you know your son."

"What do you mean?" James said. "I only knew Harry for a year when he was a baby."

"Yes," Remus said. "And I knew Teddy for only a few months. But on top of that you have seen Harry twice since due to extraordinary circumstances that will never be repeated. And Harry's life was full of death."

James opened his mouth to retort, but Remus explained himself before James got a chance to speak.

"I know that isn't a good thing," Remus sighed, "but it meant you were able to learn about him. Many people who knew your son died and told you of him. You are probably the only parent in history to know your child after your death."

"I am sorry," James said. "I was enjoying your company too much to realize how hard this is for you." He rested his hand on Remus's shoulder.

Remus moved his hand up to his shoulder and squeezed James's hand in thanks.

"I understand how you feel," Fred said to Remus. "Though I know George and the rest of my family are safe, I will miss them forever."

"Well, if you are going to get all solemn," Sirius said, "then yes, I will miss Harry. But everyone else I love is here." He smiled. "And I know Harry will have a great life!"

"At least I know George is alive," Fred said. "I can't imagine how he is feeling right now."

"Teddy is probably with his grandmother," Remus said. "Too young to remember his parents."

"Wow, you are all so very gloomy!" Sirius said. "And I am the one called Sirius after all." He laughed, but when no one else did so he added, "Cheer up!"

No one did. Sirius sighed.

"Okay, Fred," Sirius said. "Do you have any stories to rival our last one?"

Fred smiled slightly and started talking about testing Canary Creams on first years.

Ted and Tonks went back to talking about family.

"And he liked it when I changed my appearance," Tonks said. "His favourite was the pig nose."

She turned her nose piggy.

Ted laughed.

"You are amazing, my daughter," Ted said.

"Thanks, dad," Tonks said. "You are pretty cool yourself." She smiled.

"What was Remus like with Teddy?" Ted asked.

"Great!" Tonks said. "Once he knew his son wasn't cursed to live the way he had. It was like as soon as he saw Teddy he let go of whatever it was that held him down. He looked lighter."

"Chains of his own making?" Ted asked.

"Yeah," Tonks said. "Sometimes I wish I could just wash all his pain away, but I can't." She sighed.

"I think you have washed away more of it than anyone else," Ted said, and he explained what Remus's friends had told him when he first arrived.

"He told me why he came back," Tonks said, after her dad had finished. "He said it was Harry. He just never gave me specifics. But I think he would have if I had asked."

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't really care," Tonks said. "Just as long as he was there."

"So, Dora," Ted said, "what will you and Remus do now?"

"I don't want to leave," Tonks said. "And I don't think Remus does either."

"Because of Teddy?"

Tonks smiled.

"I know how you feel," Ted said. "Though when you were a baby we were both alive. It made everything much simpler." He smiled.

"What about you, dad?" Tonks asked. "You have been here a while, haven't you?"

"Yes," Ted said. "But I am not sure. Spending time with you is wonderful."

"We will just see then," Tonks said.

"Yes, we will."

The Death Eaters had not been gathered to see the students off, so they hadn't moved. They were still a scared group of people huddled together away from everyone else.

That is all except Greyback and Riddle, who were all alone and more scared than anyone else.

Bellatrix and many of the others were getting so sick of this place that they were starting to think no matter what going on couldn't be worse.

It just proved how little they knew.

"I don't want to be here," the tallest of the Death Eaters said. "Why are we all still here!"

"You saw what happened to Dolohov," the hunched back Death Eater said.

"Yeah, but that crazy chick had zapped him or something," said the Death Eater with the rough voice.

"Do you really wanna risk it!" Bella yelled.

"Do you really want to be stuck here forever!"

Bellatrix just glared at the offending Death Eater.

"I am going on," the rough-voiced Death Eater said.

All the other Death Eaters watched as he twisted violently. There was a scream and then he was gone.

"That wasn't as bad as Dolohov," the hunched Death Eater said.

"Yeah, but it wasn't as peaceful as the girl who left holding the boy," the quietest of the Death Eaters said.

"And being a ghost doesn't sound that appealing," the Death Eater that had offended Bellatrix said.

"I don't know," Bellatrix said, "I think haunting people would be fun."

"But that would be it," the quiet Death Eater said. "Stuck as a ghost forever."

"Okay, fine," Bellatrix said. "So it might be boring. But isn't it boring here?"

"Yeah," he said. "So what do we do?"

The rough-voiced Death Eater's departure seemed to have done nothing but confuse the remaining Death Eaters.

Dumbledore went back to thinking about the future.

He realized he couldn't leave till he made sure everyone he felt responsible for was looked after. What if they needed guidance or support to leave? And he wanted to make sure none of the Death Eaters decided to become ghosts. He wasn't sure how he would do this, but he knew the world didn't need evil ghosts hanging around.

Greyback was starting to think being a ghost was the only way he could escape what had happened to Dolohov. But he also didn't like the idea of being incorporeal. In life he had always been so physical.

Riddle knew now he couldn't be a ghost no matter how hard he tried, for he had been trying again and again.

He didn't want to be here. And he didn't want to know what would happen next.

He felt trapped. More trapped and scared than he had ever felt before.


	28. Ch28: Death, Never Defeated

**Chapter Twenty Eight: Death, Never Defeated**

And so that's how it was. Snape got to talk with Lily. The Marauders and Fred compared notes on rule-breaking adventures. Tonks spent time with her dad. Dumbledore contemplated things and the Death Eaters were scared.

To the people in Limbo it felt like no time was passing. They were all too wrapped up in what they were doing. No one other than Dumbledore and the Death Eaters were thinking about leaving and there were no new arrivals.

However on earth things were happening. Hogwarts was being repaired. Funerals were being attended. Harry, Ron and Hermione had decided to go back to school. And lessons were resuming.

But there were still a few lessons to learn for those dear departed souls in Limbo.

"Sometimes I think you will never get tired of listening to me talk about nothing," Lily said.

Snape nodded.

"That is just ridiculous!" Lily said. "It feels like we have been talking forever. Go talk to someone else."

"There is no one else here I want to talk to," Snape said.

"What about Dumbledore?"

"I talked to him enough when I was alive," Snape said.

"Riddle?"

"I have nothing to say to him," Snape said. "And I saw quite enough of him when I was alive, thank you very much!"

Lily sighed.

"Harry told me once that Filch has a whole drawer dedicated to you guys," Fred said.

"Really?" Sirius said, "That's awesome!"

"It is sad you aspire to so little," Remus said.

"It isn't my fault you went and grew up!" Sirius said to Remus.

"True," Remus said, smiling.

"Remus does have a point, Sirius," James said.

"Oh, not you too!" Sirius groaned.

James, Remus and Fred laughed.

"Aren't you worried about that?" Sirius asked, pointing to Lily and Snape talking.

"No," James said simply.

"Why not?"

"I have spent what feels like forever here with Lily," James said. "If anything that time has brought us closer together. I trust her and I understand her desire to spend time with someone other than me."

"That is very mature of you," Remus said.

"What can I say," James said. "Death's been good to me." He smiled.

Fred laughed.

"But what if she picks him over you?" Sirius asked.

"She won't," James said. "And even if she did, what would that mean? Snape can't change the fact that she married me. Or that we have a son."

"I guess I see your point," Sirius said. "But it still feels weird."

"Yeah," James said. "It does."

"Oh, that reminds me," Remus said.

James turned to face him.

"I wanted to tell you about Harry," Remus said.

"What about Harry?"

"As you are no doubt aware I was his teacher," Remus said. "And there is lots I could tell you and Lily about him, but the only thing I really think you need to know is that he is just enough like you to have told me exactly what I needed to hear when I needed to hear it."

And Remus went on to explain all about how Harry had yelled at him, just the way James would have, to make him go back to his pregnant wife.

"As nice as it is to talk to you," Ted said, "I thought you would want to spend more time with Remus?"

Tonks smiled. "I have a feeling I will have lots of time with him. But you have been here a while. You might want to go on. So I don't wanna miss a second!"

"Did you spend as much time with your mum?"

"When I was pregnant I was stuck in the house all day, so we had lots of time together," Tonks said, "but I guess I didn't spend as much time with her as with you now. It is just that when I was alive I had so many more things to do!"

"I know what you mean," Ted said. "Here time goes as you want it to."

"Or at least it feels like it does," Tonks said.

"So, Riddle," Dumbledore said. "Now that you finally know you can't be a ghost, what will you do?"

Dumbledore had gotten just slightly tired of thinking all alone and thought it might be fun to annoy his helpless nemesis.

Riddle was not obliging however. He didn't react.

"Tut, tut," Dumbledore said. "You are a not a very good guest, Tom."

Riddle hissed. He hated being called that.

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said knowingly. "You don't like that, do you? Ah well, serves you right!"

"They have all deserted me," Riddle said, looking at the Death Eaters that once feared him. "But they"—he pointed to all the happy, laughing, talking people—"are all still…" He trailed off.

"Yes," Dumbledore chuckled at Riddle's obvious confusion.

"Why?" Riddle asked. He almost sounded like he was begging.

"Love," Dumbledore said simply.

"This is ridiculous," the most gruesome Death Eater said. "Bella, you go."

"If you are so eager," Bellatrix said coldly, "you go."

"Why do you guys think he will have the answers anyway?" the small Death Eater said.

"He used to?" the gruesome one said.

"Yes," Bella said. "But he doesn't look like he does now, does he? Dumbledore is talking to him like he is an infant." She hissed.

"Then who are we supposed to ask!"

"Dumbledore," Bella said softly.

"You are a fool," Riddle said, refusing to believe in what he didn't understand. "Love can't be that powerful!"

Dumbledore sighed. "For someone so smart you are very dumb."

Riddle tried to hit Dumbledore, but found his arm didn't have enough substance. It went right through Dumbledore's shoulder.

"Tom, those people over there all care about each other," Dumbledore said. "They care! So they stay together. That is what love is."

Before Riddle got the chance to do or say anything—not that he had anything really to say—Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters came over.

"Dumbledore," Bellatrix said.

"Yes, Bella," Dumbledore said a little taken aback.

"We have a question."

"Then by all means ask it," Dumbledore said. "Nothing is more cumbersome than unanswered questions."

"Are you sure," Bellatrix said, "Are you quite sure there aren't any other options?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said.

"Huh," the gruesome Death Eater said.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?"

It was Fred. He had left the Marauders to talk among themselves when the subject had changed. And since he didn't much feel like hanging out with Snape, he decided to see what everyone else was up too.

The Death Eater did not appreciate this however.

He glared at Fred.

"Hey!" Fred said. "I was just asking! Keep your hair net on."

The Death Eater didn't stop glaring.

Dumbledore laughed.

"You, dear boy, are a great joy," he said to Fred.

"Er, thanks?" Fred said.

Dumbledore laughed again.

"So," Fred said, "what are ya Death Eaters doing talking to a white hat like this?" He jerked his head in Dumbledore's direction.

They all looked annoyed and stormed off.

"It was real nice talking with you," Fred called after them. "We should do it again sometime."

Dumbledore laughed again.

"Wow, you are nothing if not amused," Fred said to Dumbledore.

"True," Dumbledore said. "And you are nothing if not amusing."

"If you say so," Fred said. "I think most of my sense of humour got left on earth by accident."

"What a horrid thing to happen!"

Fred and Dumbledore just looked at each other. Neither of them had said that.

"Oh my god, is that a new person?" Sirius said, interrupting Remus mid-sentence.

"There shouldn't be anyone new here," James said. "Just relax, Sirius. What were you saying, Remus?"

"Dumbledore is talking to someone," Sirius said, before Remus could speak.

"It's probably a Death Eater you didn't know existed," James said. "Now, Remus—"

"How many Death Eaters do you know," Sirius said, "that look like that?"

Resigned to at least check out what Sirius was talking about, James and Remus turned.

And there standing talking to Dumbledore and Fred was a rather beautiful young woman. She had long hair, a round face, glasses and freckles.

"Dad!" Tonks said. "Look!"

He turned around.

"Who is that?" Tonks asked.

"How would I know?" Ted asked.

Tonks smiled.

"Oh right," she said. "Let go find out then!"

She grabbed her father's hand and ran with him to the newcomer.

"Sev," Lily said, "we really should go see what they are all looking at."

"I don't care what they are looking at," Snape said.

"Well, I do," Lily said. "I promise we can talk about pointless things later, okay?"

Snape nodded and followed Lily. But he didn't think any of what they had talked about was pointless.

"I really don't know what all the fuss is about," the new arrival was saying to Dumbledore.

"But, Jade," Fred said, "we didn't think anyone would be here for ages!"

"When was it you died, boy?" Jade asked.

"I don't know," Fred said. "In the battle at Hogwarts."

"Oh well, that was months and months ago," Jade said.

"Really?" Fred said.

"Yes," Jade said. "And you do know that people died before Voldemort, don't you?"

"Yes, but—" Fred said.

"And you do know that just because I look gorgeous here doesn't mean I wasn't ready to die."

"I—" Fred said. "What?"

"Dear boy," Jade said, "when I died I was 108. How many people do you know that can say that?"

"None," Fred said.

"I wasn't even that old," Dumbledore said.

"Exactly!" Jade said. "All my kids have grandkids and they will all be fine without me." She smiled.

"Wow," Fred said.

"Now what is all this?" Jade asked.

James, Remus, Sirius, Lily, Snape, Tonks and Ted had all arrived to greet Jade.

"A welcoming party I think," Dumbledore said.

"Wait a minute," Jade said, looking at all the people around her. "Did you all die in that battle?"

"We did," Remus, Tonks and Snape said.

"Oh, okay," Jade said. "For a second there I thought you had all been here for months!"

James and Lily laughed. Sirius joined them.

"We have been here for over sixteen years," Lily said. "Me and my husband James."

"Husband James?" Jade said. "You aren't Lily, are you?"

"Yes, I am."

"No way!" Jade said. "You are Lily and James Potter! Oh well, that is just too awesome! Not only do I look fantastic, but I also get to meet Harry Potter's parents!" Jade looked very happy indeed.

"Do you know what has happened to our son since he defeated that guy?" Lily asked, pointing to Riddle hiding in the corner.

"Voldemort is here too!" Jade said, unintentionally ignoring Lily's question. "Ooo, it is my lucky day!"

"Why?"

Jade laughed. "Okay, well, I guess that isn't so awesome, but you guys are."

"Cool," Sirius said. "Being awesome is always fun."

"And who are you?" Jade asked.

"Sirius Black," Sirius said.

"Harry Potter's godfather," Jade said. "This is cool. And you?"

"Remus Lupin."

"Harry's teacher," Jade said, really excited now. "And you?"

"Fred Weasley."

"Really!" Jade said. "Oh, I know all about you of course! Your brother kept your shop going! And it is ruddy marvellous!"

Fred looked speechless.

"Oh and I bet you haven't heard," Jade said, eager to spread the gossip, "Harry Potter proposed to your sister!"

"What!" Fred said.

"Yes," Jade said, "it was all over the Prophet!"

"But Harry is only seventeen," Lily said. "Why would he want to get married so young?"

"Well, didn't you get married young too?" Jade asked Lily.

"Yes," Lily said. "But it was different back then. We didn't know if we would live through tomorrow."

"As I hear it," Jade said, "Harry wanted to create a stable living situation for his godson."

"Teddy?" Tonks said.

"Yeah, that's the one," Jade said.

"You were right," Tonks said to Remus. "Harry was the right choice."

Remus smiled.

"Oh my goodness!" Jade said. "And you are Teddy's mother, aren't you? Of course, you married Harry's teacher." Jade smacked herself on the head as if mad at herself for forgetting such an important piece of information.

"Yes, we are Teddy's parents," Tonks said.

Jade quietly changed from mad at herself to gleeful.

"What are you so happy about?" Snape asked.

Jade turned to him and gasped.

"And Severus Snape!" Jade said. "Oh, I don't think anyone has ever been more surrounded by celebrities!"

Snape looked horrified.

Jade and Lily giggled.

"What? Don't like being famous?" James asked.

Snape glared at James.

"Oh and he doesn't like James," Jade said. "I feel like I am at the Potter Museum!"

"The what?" James asked, flabbergasted.

"Goodness," Jade said. "You guys don't know much, do you?"

They shook their heads.

"And I get to tell you!" she looked so happy about this that Snape backed away from her.

"Oh come on now, Severus," Jade said. "You knew this would happen."

"What would happen?" Dumbledore said when it became clear Snape wasn't going to speak.

"The world would find out what he did," Jade said.

Snape went white – which was quite an accomplishment since he was already the colour of a cloud.


	29. Ch29: Information through Gossip

**Chapter Twenty Nine: Information through Gossip**

Snape hid behind Lily.

"Oh and he is here with Lily," Jade said, unperturbed by Snape's obvious discomfort. "So fitting."

"So the whole world knows then?" Lily asked.

"Well, not the whole world, no," Jade said. "Harry told many people and always defended you, but there are still people who think you were evil."

Snape looked relieved. Jade didn't notice.

She smiled at Snape in an apologetic way. Snape decided he didn't like Jade much.

"What did you say about a Museum?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, right!" Jade said. "Well, it's not really a museum so much as a shrine. Some kid named Creevy got it going."

"What's there?"

"Oh, everything!" Jade said. "Or at least everything this Creevy kid knew."

"So Harry wasn't involved in it?" Lily asked.

"Nope," Jade said. "The poor boy actually avoids the press!" She sounded shocked.

"I mean after everything he's done," Jade continued, "he deserves the spotlight, but he really doesn't want it." She sighed.

"That doesn't sound like Potter," Snape sneered.

Lily did not appreciate his attitude towards her son. She smacked him on the head, and though Snape couldn't have been hurt, he recoiled.

"There will be no negative comments about my son while I am here," Lily said.

Snape muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" Lily said.

"Nothing," Snape said.

"That was not nothing," Lily said. "Come on, spit it out!"

Snape remained silent. He knew what he wanted to say, but was afraid Lily would get mad at him.

"Oh, come on," Jade said. "Your lady wants an answer."

"She is so NOT his lady!" James said.

"Oh, look what I have done," Jade said in mock horror. She was very eager to see all of them interact.

"She could have been if I hadn't messed it up!" Snape yelled back at James.

"How do ya figure that?" James yelled, before Lily could say anything.

Snape opened his mouth to retort, but Lily beat him to it.

"STOP!" she yelled.

They both turned to look at her.

"Now," Lily said, "to clear things up."

She turned to Snape.

"I can see your point," Lily said, "but that is neither here nor there. That is not how it happened and we can't change it."

She turned to James.

"Be nice," she commanded.

"You never took my side," Snape said. What he had wanted to say all this time burst from him before he could stop it. He regretted saying it immediately.

"On what topic are you referring?" Lily asked coolly.

Snape seemed to have lost his momentum. He didn't answer.

"Oh come on, spit it out!" Jade said, "This is great, this is!"

Snape rounded on her.

"And what do you know, huh?" Snape said maliciously.

"More than you apparently," Jade said, totally unphased by Snape.

Snape glared at her.

"Answer me!" Lily said.

"When we were kids," Snape said softly. "When we were at school. When you married him! Always."

"There is that word again," Dumbledore said, "Always." He chuckled to himself. Only Jade took notice.

"What are you talking about, Dumbledore?" she asked, eager for more gossip.

Snape was saved from having to listen to that conversation by Lily.

"Okay," Lily said calmly. "First of all my sister does not count. Second, at school I had good reason, and third" —she sighed— "I never once thought of you like that, Sev. And you know that."

"But he was so much worse than me," Snape said, speaking about James.

"At the time, yes," Lily said. "But he grew out of being an arrogant toerag—"

"Thanks," James said, laughing.

"—and you became a Death Eater," Lily finished sadly.

"I…" Snape said, unable to find the right words.

James took pity on him.

"She has been defending you since she got here," James said.

Snape turned to James, shocked.

Then back to Lily.

"Really?" he asked.

Lily nodded. A smile on her face.

"That was great!" Jade said, after a moment.

Then she turned to Dumbledore. "Now what were you saying?" she asked.

Snape gave Dumbledore a look that plainly said: if you tell, I will kill you.

"Severus," Dumbledore said. "Why you think no one should know you, the real you, is beyond me." He sighed.

Snape calmed down.

"Is there anything else you can tell us about Harry and the living world?" Lily asked.

"Oh yeah," Jade said. "Loads!"

"Like?" James asked.

"Well," Jade said, "those friends of Harry's. What are their names? Hermon and Roy or something. They are together now! As in together!" She giggled.

"Don't you mean Ron and Hermione," Fred said, annoyed.

"Yes, them," Jade said. "And Kingsley is the new Minister permanently. It was announced two weeks ago. And the slug guy is staying at Hogwarts they say."

"I am having Sophie Abbot flashbacks," James whispered to Lily who laughed.

The first person who Lily and James ever met in Limbo, Sophie Abbot, had freaked out at seeing them and talked of their statue.

"What are you whispering about?" Jade asked.

"Nothing," James and Lily said together.

Jade wasn't convinced but continued where she had left off.

"Oh and I already told you about Harry and that red-head right? So—" Jade was interrupted by Fred.

"That red-head is my sister and she has a name," Fred said. "I mean really if you like gossip so much, get it right!"

Jade looked a little annoyed, but she was older than she looked and knew when to hold her tongue. Well, sometimes anyway.

"Sorry," Jade said. "So I already told you about Ginny and Harry."

"Yes," Fred said, then laughed and added, "I am going to have Harry Potter for a brother-in-law. How many people get to say that?" He smiled.

"How about all of your brothers," Sirius said, sniggering.

"I still think your sister is getting the better deal, though," Jade said, grinning.

Sirius laughed.

Fred grinned. "Maybe so, but it is not a deal I am at all interested in, even if I weren't dead."

And Sirius laughed so hard he fell over.

"It wasn't that funny," Fred said.

Sirius tried to say something but was laughing too hard to speak.

"You guys are all just too funny!" Jade said.

Snape glared at her, again.

"We are not here for your amusement," Snape said.

"So Snapey," Jade said, totally ignoring what Snape had said as easily as his glare. "Anything else you want to get off your chest?"

Snape just stared at her, no longer glaring.

"You know," Jade said, trying to invoke another incident, "something you always wanted to say or a question you never got answered while you were alive?"

Snape continued to stare at her till a look of realization crossed his face and he turned to Dumbledore.

"You already told me the ring was a hallow, but why did you put it on?" he asked. "And why did you want Harry to have the sword?"

"Both easily answered," Dumbledore said. "Why didn't you ask me before?"

"I forgot," Snape said, looking at Lily.

"Apparently," Lily said, "I am distracting." She smiled, half joking, but Snape nodded.

James laughed lightly.

"My wife distracting the kid I bullied in school," James said. "I think I have mixed feelings about this." He smiled.

"Yes, well," Dumbledore said, and then turned to Snape, "to answer your questions, Severus. The ring Riddle so foolishly turned into a Horcrux is the deathly hallow that I have wanted more than any other my whole life. This meant that when I saw it I acted without thinking."

"Why did you want it so badly?" Snape asked.

"That I will not say," Dumbledore said. "If you can want your secrets kept than so can I." He smiled.

"So how come you give me such a hard time about my secrets?" Snape asked.

"Because," Dumbledore said, "you wish to hide that which makes you good, while I am hiding that which I am ashamed of."

Snape didn't speak, so Dumbledore continued.

"And the sword," Dumbledore said, "absorbed Basilisk venom when Harry used it to kill the great snake down in the chamber. This meant the blade of that sword was the only safe means of destroying Horcruxes. Now that you know that is what Harry was doing, you will understand why he needed it, I am sure."

Snape nodded.

"I have like a million questions," Jade said elatedly.

"Good for you," Dumbledore said dully.

"Why didn't you tell Snape this when he was alive?" Jade asked. "What is a Horcrux? I have never even heard of them. Why are they so hard to destroy? What are you so ashamed of? I mean you are Dumbledore after all! Oh and do you know the Deathly Hallows really exist? Or are you just guessing? 'Cause I always thought they were just a children's tale…"

She continued like this till she finally noticed no one was listening.

"Hello!" she said.

"What?"

"I have questions!"

"And we don't feel like answering them," Dumbledore said.

Jade did not look happy about this.

"But you answered Snape's questions."

"Yes, I did," Dumbledore said. "But Snape has earned my friendship and trust. He has served me well for years and deserved the answers he got."

Snape looked taken aback, but pleased. He did of course know most of that, but it felt good to hear Dumbledore say it all the same.

Jade looked huffy. For an old person she had a very young soul.

"Oh and who is this?" Jade asked. "You all look rather ugly, don't you!"

The Death Eaters had arrived to see what all the fuss was about.

Bellatrix didn't look happy about being called ugly, but she decided to ignore it.

"Bellatrix," Bella introduced herself. "And who are you?"

"Jade Newin," Jade said. "The first witch or wizard to die since Tom Riddle himself."

"Don't use that name," Riddle said. No one had noticed him slowly inch over to the group.

"And why ever not?" Jade asked. Thrilled to be irritating Voldemort himself!

Riddle just glared daggers at her.

Jade however was even less perturbed by Riddle's glare than she had been by Snape's.

"You can't do anything to me," Jade said. "And it is too much fun annoying you." She smiled.

All conversation and thoughts were suddenly halted due to the arrival of a terrible scream. It filled their ears, minds and hearts till there was nothing else.

The scream had many layers all crying out. It expressed fear, anger, confusion, and loneliness. But most of all it spoke of pain.

The anguish of a broken soul.

The sound persisted. It was too loud to speak over.

But like all things it couldn't last forever.

"What was that!" Bella was the first to speak once the sound ended. She sounded scared.

"I believe," Dumbledore said, looking around, "that was Greyback leaving."

"That was the most horrible sound I have ever heard," Jade said, shivering.

"Why would he do that, though?" the Death Eater closest to Dumbledore said. "Didn't he see Dolohov?"

"We can't know what Greyback was thinking," Dumbledore said, "Maybe he, like Tom, failed to be a ghost and settled for the other."

"But why would he fail?" Riddle asked, "If his soul was whole?"

"Though his soul was nowhere near as mangled as yours, Tom," Dumbledore said, "he was in no way whole."

Riddle looked confused.

Dumbledore gave up on him.

"I am done repeating myself to you, Tom," Dumbledore said. "Figure it out yourself."

"Well, Tonks did say he would suffer," Fred said.

"Oh yeah," Tonks said, "I did that, didn't I?" She sounded slightly shocked. Like she had forgotten what she had done.

Remus laughed and hugged her.

"How do we avoid that?" Bellatrix asked. There was a hint of desperation in her voice.

"I doubt you would be capable of achieving it," Dumbledore said.

"Try me!" Bellatrix said, hope appearing in her voice now.

"Feel remorse," Dumbledore said simply. "To feel sorry, truly sorry, for what you have done is the only way to lessen your sentence."

"Oh, of course," James said. "That's what happened to Grindelwald."

"Yes," Dumbledore said.

Riddle didn't speak. He was in shock. Once again the boy had been right. How could this be?

"Why didn't you tell me there was a way out when I asked you before?" Bella said, annoyed.

"You didn't ask me how to avoid retribution," Dumbledore said. "You asked me if there were more than three choices."

Bella looked at Dumbledore with confusion and frustration written all over her face.

Lily, James, and Sirius laughed.

"For once it isn't us!" James said.

"Yeah," Sirius added. "He can confuse her for a while."

Dumbledore sighed.

"I do not appreciate being referred to thus," Dumbledore said to Sirius.

"Yeah well, tough luck," Sirius said. "If you insist on being so confusing all the time, you are just going to have to live with it."

"But I am not living with it, as you so put," Dumbledore said.

"You said you were," Lily said. "When you first showed up I said 'that's what dying is not living' and you asked what I had been doing all these years."

"True," Dumbledore said.

"See, there you did it again!" Sirius said.

"And what did I do this time?" Dumbledore asked.

"You didn't explain," Sirius yelled. "You just nodded your head like we are all just supposed to figure it out."

Dumbledore nodded.

Sirius threw his arms in the air in exasperation.

"He is allowed to tell you as much as he wants," Snape said. "Why must you be so bothersome?"

Sirius grinned. "What can I say, it's a character flaw."

"You're a character?" James asked, laughing.

"Not a very well written one," Snape sneered.


	30. Ch30: Enemy's befriended and Sins Relive

**Chapter Thirty: Enemy's befriended and Sins Relived**

Sirius did not look happy about this, but almost everyone else was smiling or sniggering. Especially James.

"Nice!" James said to Snape. "That couldn't have worked better if we had planned it!"

Sirius glared at James.

James grinned fiendishly at his best friend.

Snape looked totally confused. He turned to Lily.

"Why is he happy?" Snape asked.

Lily smiled. "I think best friends do that to each other a lot," she said. "You helped James get one up on Sirius."

James walked over to Snape and slapped him on the back.

The expression on Snape's face would have made one wonder if anything in the world had ever made sense.

Snape looked so confused in fact that James thought he should explain.

"It was a very good joke," James said.

Snape still looked like a lost man.

James moved away from Snape when he realized he hadn't helped.

"This is so totally not normal!" Jade said. "You two aren't supposed to get along!" By the tone of her voice, you would think oil and water were suddenly bonding on the molecular level.

"Sometimes," James said, "there is just no point in fighting anymore."

Snape did not look any less confused.

"Don't worry, Sniv," Sirius said. "I will always hate you." He smiled.

And Snape relaxed.

"That may be the oddest exchange I have ever witnessed," Dumbledore said.

"Er, thanks?" James said.

Dumbledore inclined his head.

In the silence that followed the whispered words of the Death Eaters could be heard.

"Remorse?"

"Yeah, that's what he said."

"Well, we can do that."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, why not? It can't be that hard, right?"

"I don't know. Why are you asking me?"

"You were the one who talked to him!"

"But I told you everything he said, idiot!"

"Excuse me."

The Death Eaters turned.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said. He had left the group to their own devices. He had things to say to the Death Eaters.

"Now have any of you ever felt sorry for what you did before? When you were living?" Dumbledore asked.

A single Death Eater in the back raised his hand hesitantly.

"Good," Dumbledore said. "Then you may leave if you wish."

The Death Eaters looked at the others, unsure, and then with every eye on him he vanished with a slight scream.

"There see that wasn't so bad," Dumbledore said.

"Easy for you to say!" one of the Death Eaters said.

"Yes, well." Dumbledore decided to refrain from telling them that selling their souls to the most evil wizard of all time was their fault.

"How do we feel remorse for what we have done?" Bellatrix asked.

Dumbledore knew there was no way they ever could feel sorry if they had to ask how to do it, but that was not what he had come here to tell them.

"Dive back into your memories," Dumbledore said. "Try and feel for your victims."

Bella closed her eyes. So did many of the other Death Eaters.

"I think I did it!" Bella said, after a minute.

Dumbledore faked a happy look.

"Then you can leave," Dumbledore said.

"Easy as you please!" Bella said. "See, I told you it would be okay, didn't I?"

A few of the Death Eaters nodded.

"So long, suckers!" Bellatrix said.

And in her total innocence of reality, she and the rest of the Death Eaters all tried to go on at once.

The deafening sound that wrenched through the air was not a scream. It was screams. Many screams, all piled on top of each other.

Bellatrix's scream could not be distinguished above the others, but if it could have been it would have been the most dreadful of all.

Their bodies flailed about while their mouths and souls cried out.

They had trusted their enemy, but it was their own evil and not their enemy that was harming them now.

When the sound died, Dumbledore was left standing there with his own guilt.

He went back to the others.

"That was such an awful sound!" Jade was saying when Dumbledore returned.

"Bellatrix and the others are gone," Dumbledore said.

"Sweet!" Fred said. "I was getting sick of them anyway." He smiled.

"Yes," Dumbledore said.

"I thought they were too scared to leave?" Riddle asked.

"Tom," Dumbledore said, rounding on him. "It is your turn." He spoke with power and something else Riddle couldn't identify.

"What?" Riddle asked.

"Go on, NOW!"

"You can't make me!" Riddle said.

"But I want to leave," Dumbledore said passionately.

And Lily was able to identify what Riddle couldn't: frustration.

"Then leave," Riddle said maliciously, "I am not stopping you."

"YES, YOU ARE!" Dumbledore said, anger and power with equal measure worked into his voice. "I must finish my task first and you, Tom Riddle, are my task."

"No, I am not!" Riddle said with as much defiance as he could muster. Which to be honest wasn't much.

"Dumbledore," Lily said, "what is going on?"

"I want to leave," Dumbledore said. "But I need to take all the evil with me."

"Why?" Lily asked kindly.

"Because I must!"

"Dumbledore," Lily said, "we have spent too much time with you to let you do this. Tell us what is going on."

Dumbledore sighed.

"I have wanted to leave since Riddle showed up," Dumbledore said. "The pull is very strong."

"What does that have to do with Riddle leaving?" Lily asked.

"He is my last job," Dumbledore said. "I have tricked the other Death Eaters into leaving. He is the last task I must complete before I die."

Lily laughed.

"You are already dead, Dumbledore," Lily said. "Dead as a door nail. Though why door nails are dead I will never know." She smiled.

A huge smile broke across Dumbledore's face.

"What do you think we are?" Sirius said. "Chopped liver!"

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked.

"We can handle one evil dark wizard of all time," Sirius said. "You got rid of the only ones that could be ghosts, remember. The worst Voldy here can do is haunt the dead." He laughed.

Dumbledore laughed. And he kept laughing. It was like he was letting go of all his pain through his laughter. They say laughter is the best medicine after all.

"I will never be able to thank you enough," Dumbledore said.

"We'll call it even," James said. "Thank you for looking after Harry." He smiled.

"Yes," Lily said. "Thank you."

Sirius nodded.

Remus and Tonks smiled.

Fred gave Dumbledore a thumbs up.

Snape walked away from Lily to speak to Dumbledore.

"I hope you find what you are looking for," Snape said. "And thank you."

Dumbledore put a hand on Snape's shoulder and seemed to convey the same message back to his friend with just his eyes.

Snape smiled.

Dumbledore turned to address everyone, a twinkle in his eye.

"And my adventure continues," he said.

With a twirl of his cloak, he was gone.

There was silence for only a few minutes.

"If you all keep leaving," Jade said, "you will ruin my fun."

Snape rounded on her. "Leave!" he said forcefully.

And for the first time Jade took a step back.

"Why?" she asked.

"You are rude," Snape said. "We are not here to entertain you!"

"I never thought I would say this," James said, "but I agree with Severus."

"You can't make me leave," Jade said, huffy. "So there!"

"Oh, really," Snape sneered.

"Yes, really," Jade said, though she was rather shaken by the look Snape was giving her now.

"Allow me," James said to Snape.

A stag ran right up to Jade and scooped her into its antlers. James then trotted off into the distance.

"Wait for me!" Sirius called after him.

The dog ran to catch up with the stag.

Snape still looked a little shocked.

"He helped me?" Snape said.

"Yes, he did," Lily said, smiling. Proud of her husband.

"What's the matter, Snape?" Fred said. "Is your world upside down?"

Snape didn't answer.

"I think it is," Fred said, sniggering.

Lily silenced him with a look. Or at least she tried.

"Hey," Fred said, "you ain't my wife, my sister, or my mother. So good luck with that." He grinned.

Lily sighed.

She finally understood what Dobby had meant. The pull to leave was there with her now. And it was there for one other person too.

"Is there anything we haven't talked about yet?" Ted asked his daughter.

"I am sure there is something," Tonks said, smiling.

"Though apparently we have been talking for months," Ted said.

And Tonks knew.

"I will miss you," she said.

"Not as much as I will miss you," her father said back.

Dora ran over to her father and he wrapped his arms around her.

When the hug finally ended Ted spoke first.

"If you stay here as long as I think you will," he smiled, tears running down his face. "Make sure to tell mum how much I love her and that I look forward to seeing her on the other side when it is her time."

"I will," Tonks said. "I love you, dad."

"I love you too." And he hugged her again.

"And you," Ted said, turning to his son-in-law after letting go of his daughter, "take care of my baby girl."

"I will," Remus said.

Ted nodded to Remus and with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes, he vanished.

Tonks stared at the spot where her father had been while her husband walked over to her and put his arms around her. She leaned into him, and buried her face in his chest.

Then as if to ruin the moment Sirius, James and Jade returned.

"That was so not nice!" Jade said, fixing her dress. "Why did you do that!"

Sirius sniggered.

"It was fun," he said.

"For you maybe," Jade said, huffy again.

"Of course for me," Sirius said. "Why would we do anything fun for you?"

James was still a stag, so it was rather interesting to watch when he started laughing.

"Mate," Sirius said, "if you are going to laugh like that change back."

The stag shook his head.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

Then they all noticed Tonks crying on Remus's shoulder.

"What did we miss?" Sirius said.

"Ted left," Lily said.

"Why?" James said, changing back to talk.

"Oh, now you change," Sirius said. "Not when your best friend asks, oh no! It's got to be the wife." He sighed, "I feel replaced."

James laughed but otherwise ignored Sirius's remark.

"Why did Ted leave?" James asked Tonks.

Tonks turned around in Remus's arms to face James.

"We talked a lot about it," Tonks said. "He had been here a while and he wanted to go on." She smiled.

"He didn't say goodbye to me!" Sirius said, falsely upset.

James turned to Sirius. "You aren't his daughter."

"Well, I should hope not!" Sirius said. "Otherwise I would be married to Remus!"

"Oh yeah, that would be the problem," James said sarcastically.

Remus, Tonks and Sirius laughed. Lily sighed and Snape couldn't see what was so funny.

Fred wasn't listening. He was thinking. Why was he here? The rest of his family was going to live long happy lives on earth. He wasn't waiting for anyone. He had had his time with the Marauders and he had mocked Voldy. What was there left for him to do?

"I think it is my turn now," Fred said.

"To what?" James said. "Mess with Voldy or annoy Jade?" He laughed.

"To go on," Fred said.

And the laughter ended.

"Oh," James said.

"I will miss the laughs," Sirius said.

"Me too," Fred said. "But it is time."

Lily nodded. She understood.

"It's been fun, though," Fred said, saluting them all. "See ya!"

And he too vanished.

"If you all keep leaving," Jade said, "I will have—"

"We really don't care," James said, interrupting Jade. "You told us about the living and now we don't really want to talk to you unless you have more information about the people we love."

"I can't think of anything off the top of my head," Jade said.

"Great!" James said. "So butt out." He turned away from her.

"I will not!"

"Then I will scoop you up again and throw you," James said. "Again and again and again and—"

"Okay, I get it," Jade said sulkily.

No one spoke for a while; then Snape remembered Lily's promise.

"You said after we saw who the newcomer was we could go talk," Snape said.

Lily sighed.

"I know, Sev," she said kindly. "But I think I want to leave."

James turned around and stared at her.

"You do?" he asked.

"Yes," Lily said.

"Then let's go," James said. "Together."

"What?" Lily asked. "You are ready too?"

"I am only here for you," James said simply.

"What?" Lily asked.

"I would have left anytime if you had wanted to," James said. "I wanted to know what happened to Harry, but we have known everything was okay for a while now. I was waiting for you."

"You never said anything," Lily said.

"I didn't want to pressure you," James said. "I was happy to wait." He smiled.

Snape looked from the love of his life to the man he hated and felt his insides twist.

"I have no interest in being here if she isn't," Snape said.

"Then why don't you come with us," James said.

Snape took a step back.

"What!" he said.

James walked up to Snape and looked him in the eye.

"You can come with us," James said slowly.

Snape still didn't know what to say.

"Severus," James said, "I am grateful for what you did for Harry. I understand that you did it for Lily, but nevertheless you helped my son too. I know you love my wife."

Snape opened his mouth a few times and closed it again.

"It is the least I can do after everything I did to you in school," James said.

"The least…" Snape said totally stunned.

Lily smiled and came over to them.

"He changed," Lily said to Snape. "Otherwise I never would have married him. You are my friend. You should know that about me."

"I do," Snape said. "That's why it always confused me when you were with him."

"Good things come to those who wait," Lily said. She smiled at her husband and her friend with equal measure.

Sirius was looking at his best friend with pain on his face.

"And to think," Sirius said, "when I first got here you thought you would have to watch me leave."

James walked away from his wife and her unrequited love to talk to his best mate.

"You could come too," James said.

Sirius shook his head.

"I don't think I am ready," he said.

James nodded.

"But I will be," Sirius said. "So look out for me on the other side, okay?"

James smiled; "Of course," he said.

James walked away from his best friend with sadness, but he knew this was not the end.


	31. Ch31: The Natural Order of Things

**Chapter Thirty One: The Natural Order of Things**

"James," Lily said, "you know you could stay with Sirius if you want?"

James shook his head.

Lily stared at her husband with new wonder and then turned to his best friend. She could tell that neither friend wanted to say goodbye.

"Why don't we wait till Sirius is ready?" Lily said. She felt bad for separating such friends. James had waited for her; it was her turn now.

"We might be waiting a while," Snape sneered. "But if this means I get more time to talk with you I don't mind."

Lily smiled at them both, and then both of them smiled back for different reasons. James was saying thank you. Snape was glad for the extra time.

Sirius smiled hugely and then went over and slapped James on the back.

James smiled back.

"Well, thank goodness for that!" Jade said. "Without you three it was going to get really dull around here!"

"Hey," Sirius said, "I'm funny!"

"Jade, remember what I said?" James asked.

"Butt out," Jade said.

"And what were you not doing?" James asked.

"Butting out."

"That's right!" James said.

Jade did not look happy.

"You were all really going to leave me, weren't you!" Remus said.

"Sorry," James said. "But I guess we were. It's just we have been here a long time." He smiled apologetically.

"I know," Remus said.

"So what now?" Sirius said to no one in particular.

"What's holding you back?" Lily asked.

"Come again?"

"Well, Dumbledore's gone, right?" Lily said. "So someone's got to be all deep and meaningful around here."

"And you think that person is you?" Sirius said.

Lily nodded.

Sirius laughed.

Snape glared at Sirius.

Sirius laughed harder.

"What's so funny?"

"Lily thinks she's Dumbledore," Sirius said, sniggering.

"Which one of you is Lily?"

Sirius stopped laughing. Everyone else had noticed the new arrival, but Sirius had been laughing with his eyes shut.

"Hi," the new guy said.

Since they were all staring at him, he figured introducing himself was a good idea. "My name is Kalvin."

"Sirius," Sirius said numbly.

"Cool," Kalvin said. "And Lily who?" he asked again.

"That would be me," Lily said, and Kalvin turned to her, "Lily Potter and this is my husband James."

"Oh," Kalvin said. "The Potters, huh? You must have been here a while then!"

"Yes, we have," James said.

"Cool," Kalvin said.

"Don't you wanna know where here is?" Lily asked, thrown by how chill this guy was.

"Sure," Kavlin said. "But I am going to guess this is some kind of between place."

"Yeah," Lily said. "It's called Limbo."

Kalvin nodded.

"Cool," he said again.

Kalvin wasn't tall, but he wasn't short either. He did have short hair, though. It was tidy. He had a round face and a grin plastered on it from ear to ear.

"This place is cool," he said, turning his head around to see it all. "Does it go on forever?"

"As far as we can tell," James said.

"Well, have you walked as far as you can in every direction?" Kalvin asked.

"No," Lily said.

"Then how would you know?"

"It looks like it does," James said.

"Yeah, but things aren't always how they appear," Kalvin said. "I mean look at my hands!"

"What about your hands?"

"The skin is smooth again," he said. "It's so cool!"

"Must you use that word so much!" Jade said.

"Yes," Kalvin said.

"What do you mean smooth?" Lily asked.

"Well, I was so used to having wrinkly old hands," Kalvin said, holding his hands up. "But now they look great! Does my face match them?"

"Yes," Lily said.

Kalvin moved his hands over his face and smiled.

"Cool," he said again.

Jade looked annoyed.

"There are so many words in the French language; why must you use that one so much!" she said.

"Wait a minute," James said. "French?"

"Yes," Jade said. "Why, what are you hearing?"

"English," James said.

"What!" Jade said. "He is speaking English!"

"Yes," Lily said, "and so are you."

"I most certainly am not!" Jade said. "I would never utter a word in that confusing tongue."

"Confusing?" Lily asked.

"You have too many ways of saying things," Jade said. "And you add words for no reason!"

"What!" Sirius said. "Give me one example!"

"'Am' is so superfluous," Jade said. "I am going. Ha! We say 'I go.' Oh and don't get me started on tenses! I mean do you really need three different ways of saying the same thing!"

Sirius wasn't sure how to respond to this.

"Kalvin," Lily said, "what language do you speak?"

"English," Kalvin said, "but it is my second language."

"What is your first language?"

"Dutch."

"Well, aren't we the multi-cultural group," James said.

"But don't you see what this means!" Lily said.

"No," James said. Sirius shook his head.

"There are no language barriers here!" Lily said, excited.

"Well, that makes sense," Snape said. "Since it seems all nationalities come here and only one person is supposed to remain to pass on the information."

"But that is so cool!" Lily said.

"Don't you start!" Jade said.

"Who knows how many people have come and gone who spoke another language and we didn't even notice!" Lily said, ignoring Jade.

"Yeah, cool," Kalvin said.

Jade glared at him.

"Please give 'Cool Kalvin' his choices," Jade said. "So I don't have to listen to him anymore!"

"Oh, in that case," Sirius said, "Kalvin, there is no way for you to leave. Sorry, mate. But you are stuck here forever!" Sirius smiled.

"Cool," Kalvin said.

Jade glared at Sirius.

"You are a horrid person," she said. "I don't care if you are Harry Potter's godfather."

Sirius grinned.

"You can't do that just to annoy her, mate," James said.

Sirius looked sulkily at his friend. "But it's so much fun!" he said.

"I know," James said, patting Sirius on the back.

"Hey, does anyone remember Dumbledore's poem?" Lily asked, thinking of a way to tell Kalvin his choices that wouldn't bore her to death.

"Dumbledore wrote a poem?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," Lily said. "But I can't really remember it."

"I think the first line went 'Choose your own future' or maybe it was 'Listen, there's three choices'. No, wait that wasn't it," James said. "But I do remember there was something about lingering long in it somewhere."

"None of those sound very poetic if you ask me," Jade said.

"No one asked you," James said.

"Three choices, huh?" Kalvin said. "Cool."

"Cease speaking that endlessly tiresome word!" Jade said in desperation.

Sirius laughed, but otherwise no one gave any indication they had even heard Jade.

"Were any of you here for Dumbledore's poem?" Lily asked.

"I think it was just us," Sirius said, indicating James.

"Think, guys!" Lily said. "How did it go!"

"Why do you wanna know it so badly, anyway?" Sirius asked.

"'Cause it is a far more interesting way of telling people the choices," Lily said. "And since Dumbledore left, my retired days are over." She sighed.

"Why don't you come up with your own interesting way of saying it?" Sirius asked.

"I was not great at writing when I had parchment," Lily said, "so I doubt very much if I could come up with one off the top of my head."

"You have three choices," Sirius said, counting syllables on his hands. "Return to earth as a ghost; Stay here or go on."

"There," Sirius said. "A Haiku, easy as you please." He grinned at Lily.

"What's a Haiku?" Lily asked.

"A poem," Sirius said. "It's 5 syllables, 7 and then 5 again."

"Never heard of it," Lily said. "And besides that didn't sound like a poem."

"It was so a poem!" Sirius said.

"It's a Japanese poem," Jade said. "Usually to do with nature."

"Cool," Kalvin said, but no one could tell if he thought the choices or the poem was cool. Jade didn't care about this minor detail however.

She was too preoccupied freaking out at Kalvin's overuse of the word 'cool'.

"So why are you all trying so hard to annoy her?" Kalvin asked, pointing at Jade.

"It's fun," Sirius said. "And she did it to us earlier."

"Cool."

Jade stormed off. Sirius gave Kalvin a high five.

"Well, I think I know what I want to do," Kalvin said. "It was nice meeting you all." He smiled.

"What, you are leaving?" Sirius asked.

"Yep."

"Why?"

"It's what you do," Kalvin said.

"What does that mean?" Sirius asked.

"It means if this is the next step in my life, who am I to say no."

"But you don't know what will happen," Sirius said.

"The same can be said about life," Kalvin said.

Sirius really thought about this. Most of his life had been out of his control after all.

"I think I get it," he said.

"Cool," Kalvin said, and he vanished.

"I want to go with you guys now," Sirius said, turning to James.

James smiled.

"What did I miss?" Jade said. She had noticed Kalvin's departure and was quite glad to be rid of him.

"I think we are all leaving now," Lily said.

"Not us," Remus said.

Tonks nodded.

"Why not?" James asked.

"We need to know," Tonks said.

James and Lily knew exactly what they were talking about.

"I hope you learn all we did and more," James said, smiling. "And I will miss you, Moony, old friend."

"I will miss you too," Remus said. He went over and hugged James.

"Hey, I will miss you too!" Sirius said, and he got a hug as well.

"I will miss you all a lot!" Jade said. "It is going to be so dull around here without you four!" But no one answered her.

There were hugs all around, but when they were over James turned to face Remus, Tonks, and Jade with Lily on his left and Sirius on his right. Snape was standing on Lily's left.

"I wish you lots of deaths to keep you occupied," James said, laughing. "'Cause believe you me it will get dull." He smiled.

"Oh and," Sirius said, pointing at Riddle, "could you look after that for me."

Remus smiled and nodded.

They were all standing shoulder to shoulder, something none of them ever thought they would do—at least not with each other—when they vanished.

"Now what am I going to do!" Jade said. "It will be so dull without them."

"You could go on," Remus said.

"Oh, I don't know," Jade said. "It would have to be really boring for me to do that."

"Riddle's still here," Tonks said. "You could go annoy him."

"It's only funny for so long," Jade sighed.

"Only four people in Limbo," Remus said.

"Yeah," Tonks said. "And if we could just get these two to leave it might be peaceful."

"Oh ha ha," Jade said. "Very funny."

"What do you wanna bet we can be boring enough to make her leave?" Tonks whispered to her husband.

"A whole cloud," Remus said.

"You're on!"

"What are you whispering about?" Jade asked. "I mean really."

Neither Remus nor Tonks moved or spoke.

"Now this is just ridiculous," Jade said. "Come on, why don't we talk about something you guys want for a change."

The couple was still silent and unmoving.

"Hello!" Jade said. "You can't just stand like that forever!"

"Actually I believe they can," Riddle said.

"Well, then!" Jade said. "If you are going to be like that! The others were more fun anyway!"

Jade stuck her nose in the air and vanished.

Remus and Tonks burst out laughing.

"That didn't take long," Tonks said.

"She has a really short attention span," Remus said.

"So will that trick work on you?" Tonks asked Riddle.

"No."

"Oh well," Tonks said. "Can't blame a girl for trying."

Riddle didn't answer.

"Well, you are just a bundle of fun, you are," Tonks said.

"Honey," Remus said, "why would a dark wizard be fun?"

"I don't know," Tonks said. "He had his moments before."

"That wasn't him being fun though," Remus said. "That was us mocking him."

"Oh right," Tonks said slowly.

"Oh, not this place again!"

The voice sounded slightly annoyed but mostly exasperated and it was coming from far enough away that no one could see who had spoken.


	32. Ch32: Unavoidable Destination

**Chapter Thirty Two: Unavoidable Destination**

"Did I hear that right?" Tonks asked.

"I don't know," Remus said. "What did you hear?"

"Not this place _again_," Tonks repeated back.

"That's what I heard," Remus said.

"I heard that as well," Riddle said.

"Which direction was it from?" Tonks asked.

"I am not sure," Remus said. "I don't think sound works the way it should here."

"Should we just pick a direction and see if we find… whatever it is?" Tonks asked.

"I guess so."

"Or of course you could just wait for said person to come find you."

There was stunned silence. The returning occupant of Limbo had found them.

"Hello," he said. "My name is Philip Winterbotham"

"Yeah, hi," Tonks said then automatically asked what they were all thinking, "What did you mean when you said again? How could you have been here before?"

"I stand by what I have always said: manners have suffered through the centuries," Philip said pompously.

"Centuries?" Remus asked.

"You really aren't going to tell me your names or anything, are you?" Philip asked. "I mean I told you mine. It is only proper that you reciprocate."

"Remus Lupin," Remus said, pointing to his chest. "This is my wife Dora Tonks,"—Tonks squirmed at being referred to by her first name—"And that's Tom Riddle."

"Your wife; well, isn't that nice," Philip said. "Or depressing, given where we are. And Dora is a nice name. I am happy to meet you." He smiled.

"No one calls me Dora," Tonks said, turning to her husband she added, "You know I hate it when you introduce me as Dora."

"Sorry, love," Remus said.

"What in heaven do they call you if not Dora?" Philip asked.

"Tonks," Tonks said.

Philip looked shocked. "What a horrid given name for a woman!"

Tonks stuck her tongue out at Philip.

"Oh well!" Philip said. "That is not very lady-like."—he turned to Remus—"Why would you marry such a woman?"

Remus didn't know what to say to that.

"Just tell us how it is you have been here before!" Riddle demanded.

"Yes, and they said you were named Tom Riddle, correct?"

Riddle hissed.

"Well, no one here seems to like their name very much, do they!" Philip said.

"If not Tom Riddle, what am I to call you?"

Riddle didn't answer.

Tonks laughed.

"I think he would like you to call him Voldy," she said.

"Voldy!" Philip said. "What rubbish is this?"

"It's short for Voldemort," Remus said.

"Oh yes," Philip said calmly, "I've heard of him."

Remus laughed. "You make it sound like he's a celebrity or something."

Philip looked confused.

"He was the most evil wizard to ever exist," Remus said. "And all you have to say is I've heard of him?"

"Oh yes, I knew it was something like that," Philip said, waving his hand dismissively.

Remus was shocked, and so was Riddle.

"Did you live under a rock or something?" Riddle asked.

Philip laughed.

"So who killed him?" Philip asked, pointing at Riddle.

"Harry Potter," Remus said.

"Who?"

"You don't know who Harry Potter is!" Tonks almost yelled.

"It rings a sort of bell," Philip said.

"The boy who lived," Remus said.

"Ah yes, I think I remember someone telling me something about him once," Philip said. "But then again I could always be thinking of someone else."

Tonks threw her arms up in exasperation and rested her head on Remus's shoulder.

"Well, that's good then," Philip said. "Dark wizard gone and nice boy alive and all." He smiled.

Remus just gaped.

"Now I believe you all wanted to know something when I first arrived?" Philip asked.

"Yes," Remus said slowly. He was still reeling too much over what he had just heard to say more.

"Forgive me but I have forgotten your question," Philip said. "Could you repeat it?"

"How could you be here again?" Riddle asked.

"Ah yes," Philip said. "Well, you see I died in 1286. Or at least I think I did. I may be off by a few years, oh but I don't think I can be off by more than a decade so what's the difference really, right." He smiled.

"But…" Riddle said. "How did you…where were you…why this…when…" Riddle, it seemed, was having problems coming up with a whole question.

"If you died so long ago, how come you just appeared here now?" Remus asked.

"Well, I appeared here right after I died, so when I got here again I recognized this boring place," Philip sighed.

"Okay," Remus said slowly. "But where were you all that time?"

"Well, on earth of course," Philip said. "Where else would I be?"

"How did you cheat death?" Riddle asked awestruck.

"What are you talking about?" Philip asked. "I just said I have been dead since 1286."

"Okay, you lost me," Tonks said.

Philip sighed.

"I was a ghost," Philip said. "I went back as a ghost and when I faded away I reappeared here."

Riddle sank to the ground.

"So there is no way around death?" he said softly. "All things end."

"Well, I could have told you that!" Remus yelled at Riddle then he turned back round to Philip, "but how could you not know who Voldemort or Harry Potter are?"

"Well, you see for the last half century or so I had been getting very faint indeed, so I decided to leave England and go around the world," Philip said. "I didn't keep up on current events."

"Wow, Voldy," Tonks said. "It looks like your reign of terror was barely a blip to some people." She grinned.

Riddle did not look happy about this.

"So what you're saying is that you missed both great wizarding wars?" Remus asked. "Because you went on holiday?"

"I guess so," Philip said. "Both you say, as in two?" He seemed to get lost in his own thoughts.

By the looks on Remus, Tonks and Riddle's faces you would think Philip had traumatized them.

"You see when one has all the time in the world one tends to look at time differently," Philip said to try and console the people he had so shocked.

"What do you mean by that?" Riddle asked.

"Time becomes less important," Philip said. "I mean you could spend fifty years haunting one house and not even think about it." He smiled.

Riddle didn't understand.

"Philip," Remus said, "if you died in 1286 and it's about 1999 on earth now, then you were 713 years dead before you came back here."

"That sounds about right," Philip said. "Though as I said before I may be off by a decade or so." He smiled.

"So is that it?" Riddle asked. "Can ghosts only exist for about 700 years?"

"Oh no," Philip said. "I knew one that was far older than that. He always bragged about being around when the Pyramids of Giza were being built, but we were never sure whether to believe him or not."

"Then how did you know he was older than you?" Remus asked.

"Oh well, he could prove he was more than 700 no problem," Philip said. "It was being around during the 4th Egyptian Dynasty that we weren't sure about." He smirked.

"So what determines how long ghosts exist on earth?"

"Desire," Philip said. "Their desire to return to earth. I knew a ghost once that was already fading away at seventy."

"So why was your desire to go to earth so strong all those years ago?" Tonks asked Philip.

"Just couldn't let go I guess," he said.

Now Riddle was more than miffed that he couldn't be a ghost, for he believed his desire was strong enough to keep him on earth forever.

"You see," Philip said, "the whole point of being a ghost is to give those who are still unsure about going on the chance to take the time to realize they are ready."

"What!" Riddle said.

"Yes, Tom," Philip said. "I have spent enough time with ghosts and been one long enough to know that this is their true purpose."

"No!" Riddle said. "Their purpose is to escape here!"

Philip sighed then turned to Tonks and Remus. "Is he thick or something?"

"You could say that, yeah," Tonks said. "Messed up childhood."

"No!" Riddle said again and collapsed to the ground. "There has to be a way out! There just has to!"

"Way out of what?" Philip asked.

"Death."

Philip looked so confused by this that he turned back to Remus and Tonks.

"What does he mean?"

"He was so scared of death that he ripped his soul into seven pieces," Remus said. "That's why he is so faint."

"Oh," Philip said. He had been very curious as to why this man seemed to be see-through but had been too polite to ask.

"All this can't just be about going on!" Riddle said to no-one. "It can't be the only end."

"But it is," Tonks said. "And that's that."

Riddle seemed to melt into a translucent puddle before their eyes.

"If you aren't ready, Tom," Philip said, while Riddle grimaced at the use of his name, "then why don't you just become a ghost and see for yourself."

"This is why," Riddle said and he vanished in a puff of smoke.

"I don't get it," Philip said.

"Give it a minute," Remus said.

Riddle reappeared.

"Oh."

"I have tried over and over again!" Riddle said. "But I always come back!"

"And why do you think that is?" Philip asked Riddle.

"I don't know!" Riddle said angrily.

"Maybe it is because you are so faded already that when you get down there you just come back up again," Philip suggested.

"You know what," Remus said, "that makes sense!"

"Isn't it ironic," Tonks said. "The one thing you did to try and achieve immortality is the one thing stopping you from continuing to exist on earth."

"Yes, quite!" Philip said.

Riddle glared at them all.

"So is there anything else you want to talk about before I go on?" Philip asked while they all ignored Riddle's glare.

"What, you're leaving?" Remus said.

"Yes," Philip said, "I have had over 700 years to think about it. I don't want to waste any more time here."

"But you can stay here as long as you like without leaving," Tonks said. "I thought you said time meant something different when you had a lot of it?"

"So I did and so it does," Philip said. "But my patience is not infinite."

"I guess I see your point," Remus said, "but I wish you would stay a little longer and talk with us. You are very interesting to talk to."

"Why don't you just come with me," Philip said. "This Tom person doesn't look like he will be leaving any time soon, so he can stay and be the messenger."

"We can't," Tonks said.

"We have a son you see," Remus said. "And before we leave we want to know what happens to him."

"Oh, I see," Philip said. "Well then, I wish you the best of luck." He smiled.

"Wait, before you go," Tonks said. "Do you know of any way to force someone to go on?"

"No, why?" Philip asked.

"Well, Voldy here won't go," Tonks said. "He saw the other Death Eaters leave and is scared to go."

"Really!" Philip said. "He calls himself the most powerful wizard of all time and he can't handle a little after-life?"

Remus and Tonks laughed.

"Thank you," Philip said. "I thought it was funny."

Riddle glared at them all, but what else is new, right.

"Death is the worst fate," Riddle said again.

"Of course it isn't," Philip said. "What kind of rubbish is that!"

Riddle hissed but thought about what Philip had said.

"Well farewell, friends," Philip said. "I hope to see you on the other side!" And he vanished.

"If not death, than what?" Riddle asked.

"What what?" Remus asked.

"What is the worst fate?"

"That is not an easy question to answer," Remus said.

"Why?"

"It varies from person to person," Remus said.

"Okay, then give me an example."

"I don't think this will help him leave," Tonks whispered into Remus's ear.

"Magic and love," Remus said. "Technology and pain. Greif and loss. Destruction and guilt. So many things and all for different reasons."

"But some of those things are supposed to be good things?" Riddle asked.

"All things have elements of good and bad," Remus said.

"What!" Riddle said. "That can't be right!"

"Really, Remus, why are you bothering with this one?" Tonks asked.

"Well, honey," Remus said, turning to Tonks, "is there anything else to do?"

"Okay, I see your point," Tonks said.

"Okay then," Riddle said. "You people are always talking about how love is so amazing, but you just added it to your list of bad things, so ha!"

Remus sighed.

"If love is mutual and unconditional then it is the best thing that will ever happen to you," Remus said, squeezing his wife's hand while he spoke. "But unrequited love hurts. And losing someone you love hurts."

"Why?"

"If you can't love then you wouldn't understand," Remus said.

"You couldn't understand," Tonks said, squeezing Remus's hand in return.

"So it is death then!" Riddle said, almost triumphantly.

"How did you get that from what he said?"

"Losing someone," Riddle said. "So they died."

"I didn't say they died," Remus said. "There is more than one way to lose someone."

"What are you talking about?" Riddle asked.

Remus looked annoyed now.

"You know what," he said, "I don't think I feel like telling you."

"That's the spirit, honey," Tonks said.

"Tell me," Riddle said.

Remus sat down. "Maybe later," he said.

"You know you really should figure some things out for yourself," Tonks said to Riddle then sat down next to her husband.

"What do you mean by that," Riddle said, still standing.

"Ever since you got here it's been questions, questions and more questions!" Tonks said. "Didn't you know anything when you were alive?"

Riddle glared at her and stormed off. Tonks figured 'cause he knew she was right. She smiled to herself.

"Ah, that's better," Tonks said, resting her head in Remus's lap. "Some peace and quiet."

"I am not sure how long it will last though, love," Remus said.

"I can dream, can't I?" Tonks said.

Remus smiled. "Yes, you can," he said sweetly, while he stroked his wife's face. She closed her eyes, totally relaxed in her husband's arms.

Tonks's contentment didn't last long however.

"So is this it?"

Tonks refused to open her eyes, but she recognized Riddle's voice.

"Yes, Tom," Remus said.

"Well, no," Tonks said, sitting up. "Your story isn't over and neither is ours. It is complete. And all things must be whole."

"What do you mean?" Riddle asked.

"Endings are not to be mourned," Tonks said. "They are to be celebrated."

"Honey," Remus said, moving his hand to her face once again, "what do you mean?"

"If nothing ever ended," Tonks said, "then what would be the point? If stories, lives and loves went on forever, they would lose their meaning."

"Ah yes," Remus said. "Of course." And he kissed her.

Riddle stared at the happy couple, thinking hard.

If there really was no way out then what was the point in resisting it? He had lost; he knew it now. All he could do was hope those he had fought against had been right and take the leap. The leap that would complete his story.

Riddle walked away from Remus and Tonks till he couldn't see them anymore.

He thought _I want to go on now_ and meant it.

And there was pain. Pain such as he had not felt since possessing the Potter boy. But this was worse, because he couldn't stop it by leaving. He could tell there was screaming coming from him, but he couldn't stop that either. The body he so hated twisted and thrashed about.

"Do you hear that?" Remus asked his wife who was lying in his lap once more.

"Yeah," Tonks said, sitting up.

"It's very distant," Remus said. "Do you think it could be Riddle?"

"You mean Riddle going on?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe," Tonks said. "What do you think changed his mind?"

"I don't think we will ever know," Remus said.


	33. Epilogue: Moving Forward

**Okay so again sorry this took me so long to get up. Life just got busy. :) But it is up now and I hope you like it. Please leave me a review if you have something to say. I always love reading them, and I will answer you.**

* * *

**Epilogue: Moving Forward**

Teddy was running. He loved the rhythm his legs made as they moved him forwards. The only parents he had ever known told him of his parents all the time, so he knew that right now he was using his mother's gift to run like his father.

No one knew he sometimes ran like a wolf and he wasn't planning on telling them. He knew that his father had hated being a werewolf, but he couldn't help it. This was when he felt closest to his parents.

Using his mother's ability being used to imitate his father's other form seemed to Teddy to be the best way of honouring them both.

As he ran he looked down at his paws on the earth. He was very good at turning into a wolf by now and no one who saw him would have known who he really was. Sometimes he changed his fur or eye colour to make sure no one thought it was the same oversized wolf taking up residence in the forbidden forest. He hoped they would just think an assortment of wolves were coming and going.

Suddenly Teddy saw a glint of light flash underneath him. There was no sunlight, just the full moon.

Teddy did a double-take to see what the light was reflecting off. And bending down, he picked up the small stone with his paw, turning it over as he did so.

"No."

Teddy turned around suddenly, worried he had been caught by a teacher.

But what he saw was no teacher.

It must have been funny to see such a human expression, full of human emotion, staring in total amazement from the face of a wolf.

"No," the figure repeated, "not like that! Not during a full moon!"

Teddy turned his wolfish head to one side with the same amazed look on his face.

Not only was this not a ghost—since it was too transparent—but he knew from photos this figure was his father.

"Oh, I knew it!" Remus cried. "It's all my fault! Why did I listen! WHY!" And he fell to the ground, his head in his hands.

Teddy was recovering from his shock enough now to realize he couldn't talk without human vocal cords.

Slowly, since his mind was otherwise occupied, the wolf turned back into Teddy.

"Dad?" Teddy said as soon as he could.

Remus looked up, amazed.

"But you were a wolf!"

"Yeah, I was," Teddy said. "But you are dead, so you answer my questions first."

"I don't know anything," Remus said.

"You must know something," Teddy started, but then Remus vanished.

"No, come back!" Teddy yelled. "I have so many questions!"

Teddy slumped back down on the ground.

"Oh, Remus!" Tonks cried at her husband's return. "Where were you!"

"I saw Teddy," Remus whispered.

"Tell me everything!" Tonks said.

"He was a wolf," Remus said weakly before he collapsed.

"Oh, you and your wolf worries!" Tonks said, rolling her eyes. "I thought I had already fixed all this."

"But he was a wolf!" Remus said. "Even if he isn't a werewolf, I must have given him something…something to make him…"

"Whatever he is I am sure Harry and Ginny still love him," Tonks said. "And we still love him, so what's the difference?"

"How can you say that!" Remus said. "You gave him life and your amazing gift and all I ever gave him was pain."

"Ha!" Tonks said. "If I had never fallen in love with you I would never have had him, so there!"

"That is not the same!"

"Sure it is."

And then they both felt that pull of invisible robe.

_Why did my father just vanish like that?_ Teddy thought.

"There must be a reason," Teddy said out loud to himself. "I mean what was new around here that could have caused…" And then it hit him: the stone.

He must have dropped it after he turned back into himself.

Teddy started darting around, looking for the dropped stone, and sure enough he found it.

And this time focusing on both his long dead parents, he turned the stone over in his hands.

And they appeared before him.

"Teddy!" his mother cried with so much love in her voice Teddy's eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Mum," Teddy said. "Dad."

"We are here, son," Remus said.

"It's this stone," Teddy said, holding it up. "When I dropped it, you vanished."

"I know," Remus said, now realizing what had happened. "I have been brought down with that stone before." He smiled.

"You have!"

"Yes, but first tell me why you were a wolf," Remus said, unable to keep up the small talk.

"I wanted to be," Teddy said simply.

"Oh my God," Tonks whispered. "You used your metamorphmagus skills to become a wolf!"

"Yeah," Teddy said. "I have tried other animals too, but the wolf is easiest. Harry says you were a werewolf, dad."

Remus inclined his head.

"So that's what I like to become when I go running," Teddy finished.

"I was never able to transform into a whole animal!" Tonks said. "Just pig noses and things."

"Ginny says that some metamorphmagus can turn into animals if they have strong emotional ties to that animal," Teddy said quietly.

Remus looked shocked.

"Strong emotional ties…" he repeated lamely. Teddy blushed.

Tonks looked overjoyed.

"Oh well, what did you think would happen?" Tonks teased. "That your own son would hate you?"

Remus was about to answer yes in his usual self-destructive way when Teddy cut in.

"Your turn," Teddy said. "When were you pulled down by this stone before?"

"The night I died," Remus said simply.

"Why?"

"Harry needed help," Remus said. "He brought me, Sirius and both his parents down to help him that night."

"The night he defeated Voldemort you mean?"

"Yes," Remus said.

"Huh," was all Teddy had to say on this rather remarkable topic.

"How old are you, love?" Tonks asked kindly, getting as close to her son as she could without touching him.

"Twelve," Teddy said.

"So this is your second year at Hogwarts then?"

Teddy nodded.

"How has your life been?" Tonks asked next.

"Good I guess," Teddy said awkwardly.

"Teddy, I am your mother," Tonks said. "And I haven't seen you in over eleven years. Tell me about you. Anything and everything about you. Please."

The look on Tonk's face was such that Teddy couldn't deny her anything.

Teddy spoke of his step-siblings and foster parents with fondness. He said how they had never made him feel left out, like he wasn't theirs. He talked of his classes and ambitions.

As Teddy spoke both his parents knew without a doubt that, though they had left their son, they had not left him alone. And his life was a good one.

All this time Teddy held the stone firmly in his hand.

"There, I told you all about me," Teddy said as the sky started to lighten; "Now it is your turn."

"Hasn't Harry told you about us?" Remus asked.

"And what about your grandmother?" Tonks added.

"Of course they have," Teddy said. "But it's not the same."

They had talked well into the night already and Teddy was sitting on the ground with his parents aglow next to him.

"There really isn't more to tell than that," Tonks said.

"Of course there is!" Teddy argued. "Where have you been? How am I even able to talk to you? Does death hurt?" Teddy added the last question in a small voice. If his parents hadn't been listening hard they would not have heard.

"You are too young to be thinking about that," Tonks said lovingly. "And before you say we were young, you live in a peaceable time while we lived during the greatest war in wizarding history." She smiled.

"But one day," Teddy said, "I will die. Everyone does."

Remus sighed.

"It can hurt," he said, "if you are hurt, but once you go the pain leaves and you float away."

"Where?" Teddy asked again. "Where did you go?"

"A between place," Tonks said.

"What's it called?"

Tonks opened her mouth to say 'Limbo' but found she couldn't.

"It's not for the living to know," Remus said. "Your job is to live! Live the best life you can."

Tonks nodded her agreement.

"Was it boring?" was Teddy's next question.

"What?"

"Being dead."

"Time doesn't flow the same," Remus said. "It can be boring at times, but it is also peaceful and your mother is great company."

Tonks smiled and snuggled up closer to Remus.

"You guys were really in love, weren't you?" Teddy said.

"Yeah," Tonks said, smiling. "Once he stopped blowing me off."

"Harry told me about that," Teddy said.

Remus shrugged his shoulders in a 'yeah well, what ya gonna do' kinda way.

"Grandma talks about my namesake a lot," Teddy said after a moment of comfortable silence. "Was he there?"

"He was," Tonks said.

"Do you think I can call him with the stone?" Teddy asked, looking down at the object in his hand.

"You can try," Remus said.

Teddy closed his eyes and turned the stone over in his hand again.

There was a shocked gasp as Ted Tonks arrived.

"What is going on!" he said.

"Hey, dad," Tonks said, leaving Remus's side and walking to her father.

"Dora!" Ted said. "You have gone on? But wait, there are trees…"

"Teddy pulled us down," Tonks said, guiding her father over to her son.

"Well, I'll be damned," Ted said. "Look at you!"

"I grew up," Teddy said.

"You sure did."

"Grandpa," Teddy said happily, "I am meeting my grandfather." He smiled.

"I met you when you were so little I could carry you in one arm," Ted said, "and kept changing your hair colour." He chuckled.

"Yeah," Teddy said, "Gran always tells stories about how I used to do that."

Ted's smile faltered.

"You really miss her, don't you?" Teddy asked.

"Yes," Ted said. "Yes, I do."

"She misses you too," Teddy said.

Ted smiled. "I know," he said.

"How could you know?" Teddy asked.

"I can feel her," Ted said, "every time she thinks about me."

"Really!"

Ted nodded.

"The sun is coming up for real now," Remus said. "You should get back to bed, son." He felt every part of him warm as he spoke the last word.

"Yeah, I guess," Teddy said casually.

"We could not be more proud of you," Tonks said, starting to tear up. "And you must always remember that we love you, my son." She, like her husband, was warmed by calling Teddy 'son'.

Teddy smiled. He also could feel the wonder inside him at being so addressed. Harry and Ginny never tried to replace his parents in name, so even though he loved them like parents he never called them mum or dad.

Ted smiled huge as well as he gazed at his grandson. "We will always be with you," he said. "Just think of us and we will feel you."

"Why are you guys all acting like this is goodbye?" Teddy said.

"Because it is."

"No," Teddy said, "I can take this stone with me. As long as no one else can see you, we can stay together and they won't know." He grinned.

"You have to live your life," Tonks said. "You cannot do that with us here."

"Sure I can," Teddy said. "Watch me." And he got up and started back to the castle with the stone firmly in his hand.

So the three misty figures followed unseen behind Teddy. They were tied to the stone and thus had no choice in the matter.

"I wonder if anyone else will see you?" Teddy whispered as they walked.

"They won't be able to," Remus said.

"Great!" Teddy whispered.

Tonks sighed. She was glad she got to meet her son, but now it was all going downhill.

They walked in silence up to the castle. Teddy was thinking about all the times he would get to spend with his parents now, thanks to his marvellous stone. Tonks, Remus and Ted were worried.

Once the group got up to the oak front doors, Teddy pushed them open and went in.

But as soon as he was inside the castle his parents lost track of him. They knew he was still there, but they couldn't find him. They started moving up the stairs as if they were following him, but they still couldn't see him.

"Teddy!" Tonks yelled and suddenly he reappeared on the top stair.

"What?" Teddy whispered.

"Where did you go?"

"I was right here the whole time," Teddy said. "It's camouflage so teachers don't catch me."

"That's amazing!" Tonks said. "You are so much better with your gift than I was."

Teddy grinned. He loved that he had this skill to impress his parents with.

They went together through the castle until they got to the Portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Extendable Ears," Teddy said and the Fat Lady swung open to admit him.

The misty figures of his dead family followed through the wall as the portrait closed.

Over the next week Teddy stuck by his word. His parents and grandfather were forced to stay by his side wherever he went.

Of course he couldn't talk to them directly while people were around for fear they would ask who he was talking to, or worse think he was crazy, but their presence alone comforted him.

"That was a good class, wasn't it?" Teddy asked his family as they went through a deserted corridor.

"It would have been better if I hadn't had to stand inside that kid's desk," Ted said.

"Teddy," Tonks pleaded for what felt to Teddy like the millionth time, "why can't you just let us go? It isn't our time anymore. You can't move forward by holding onto the past."

"I don't care," Teddy said. "I am not losing you again."

This had always been Teddy's argument and Tonks had always stopped at this point.

Another week went by. Teddy started ignoring his friends so he could spend time alone with his dead parents. He stopped doing his homework. He barely showed up for his classes.

"Teddy!" Remus said. "This is ridiculous. You are just as stuck as us. Please just let us go."

Teddy shook his head.

"Fine then, why don't you leave us for a little while and go hang out with some of your friends," Tonks tried. "We will be here when you get back."

"You might not," Teddy said. "I don't know how the stone works."

"At least go back home for Christmas," Ted tried.

"What's the point?" Teddy said. "I mean it will be crowded there and stuff. If I stay here the whole castle will be empty and we can really be together."

"That is it!" Tonks yelled. "If you don't go home for the holidays we will not speak to you again! We may not be able to make you let go of the stone, but we can control whether or not we talk!"

"It's about all we can control," Ted said sadly.

Teddy heard the conviction in his mother's voice and saw the same resolve in his father's and grandfather's faces.

"Okay," he said in a small voice.

"Grandmamma Weasley," Lily said, "I want more potatoes, please."

"Of course, dear," Molly said, handing the food over. "Anything for my most adorable grandchild."

The whole Weasley family was gathered around a rather large table eating Molly Weasley's rather amazing Christmas dinner.

"You spoil her, mum," Ginny said.

"And quite right too," Harry said, smiling.

Ginny glared at her husband.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," Harry said. "She is five. We can teach her humility when she is older."

Ginny sighed.

"Dad!" Albus said from the other end of the table. "James kicked me!"

Harry sighed.

"James," he called sternly, "did you kick your brother?"

"Of course not!"

Ginny stood up. "Revelio," she yelled, holding her wand in the air.

A child's broom came whizzing out from behind James and into Ginny's hand.

"There is no poking your brother with his own broom at the dinner table!" Ginny said with all the authority she had inherited.

James had the decency to look ashamed.

"Now," Ginny said, sitting back down, "would someone pass the sausages."

"You are awfully quiet, Teddy," Harry whispered. They were seated next to each other. Tonks, Remus and Ted stood behind Teddy unseen.

"Just hungry," Teddy lied.

Harry didn't say anything else on the subject at dinner, but he watched his foster son very carefully after that.

"I mean really, Ron!" Hermione's voice carried across the table. "Leave some for everyone else."

"Wany," Ron mumbled, with his mouth full of food.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Rosie giggled.

"Daddy," she said, "you look funny."

"Oh yeah," Ron said, after swallowing. "How about this." He got up from the table and picked up his daughter.

"No, that tickles, stop it!" she yelled through the giggling.

"Mum," Hugo said.

"Yes, Hugo," Hermione said warmly.

"I thought Aunt Ginny said no wrestling at the table."

"Excellent point, Hugo," Ginny said. "Back in your seat, Ickly-Ronny."

Ron glared at his sister.

"Stupid sister ruins all my fun," Ron grumbled as he and Rosie sat back down.

"And don't you ever forget it!" Ginny said.

All the while the Weasleys were enjoying their Christmas dinner, the three misty figures were watching in wonder. Such a happy, lovely family their son was a part of and yet he still wanted them?

"Why, Teddy?" Tonks asked.

Dinner and dessert were over. The whole family had broken up to sit and digest on their own.

Teddy had found the most deserted place he could to talk with his long dead family.

"You are my parents," Teddy said simply.

"But you have the most amazing family," Remus said. "Living family."

"They aren't the same as you."

"Why?"

"They just aren't."

"I am sorry you think that." The voice had not come from any of the misty figures. It had come from behind the door.

"Who's there?" Teddy asked.

The door opened and Harry came in.

"I know what it's like to want the dead's company more than the living's," Harry said as he came in and sat next to Teddy.

"You do?"

"Yes," Harry said. "When I was about your age I found a mirror in Hogwarts that when you looked into it showed the deepest and most desperate desire of your heart."

"And you saw your family in the mirror?"

"Yes."

"How did you ever leave?"

"A very wise man came and explained to me why I couldn't stay," Harry said.

"What did he say?"

"He said the mirror can give neither knowledge nor truth. That men had wasted away before it or even gone mad. He said that it did not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

"But this isn't the same," Teddy argued.

"Isn't it though?" Harry said. "You found my stone in the forbidden forest, did you not?"

Teddy nodded.

"And you are spending all your time with them instead of the living."

Teddy nodded again.

"The truth is that those who are dead can never truly return," Harry said, "and they cannot tell us of death. Their images on this earth can give us neither knowledge nor truth."

"But I can talk to them," Teddy said.

"Yes, I know," Harry said. "I have used that stone, remember."

"Yes," Teddy said. "Dad told me you brought him down with it."

Harry nodded.

Teddy started to cry.

Harry pulled him close and let Teddy cry on his shoulder. Teddy still held the stone firmly.

"Can you give me the stone?" Harry asked kindly when Teddy had stopped crying.

"Can I say goodbye first?"

Harry smiled. "Of course. Do you want me to leave?"

Teddy shook his head, and held onto one of Harry's hands.

"Did you hear all that?" Teddy asked.

"Yes," Tonks said. "We can see and hear everything."

"I was wrong," Teddy said. "I can't keep you forever."

"I know," Remus said. "But I am so very happy that we had this time together."

Teddy nodded. "I will never forget it."

"Neither will we," Ted said.

"We will always be with you," Tonks said. "Just not like this."

"We are inside your heart, my son," Remus said. "Go and live your life. Live your life and make it a brilliant one."

"And a joyful one," Tonks added.

"I will try," Teddy said.

"We just want you to be happy," Tonks said, "We fought for you and now you can live for us." She smiled and her whole face lit up. Remus put an arm around her.

Teddy looked down at the stone in his hand.

"I can't do it," he said.

"I understand," Harry said and he gently pulled the stone out of Teddy's hand.

The figures vanished.

"Who was the wise man?" Teddy asked.

"Albus Dumbledore," Harry said.

Teddy cried in Harry's arms for a long time. Eventually he stopped and went to see what his siblings were doing. Harry made a note to watch out for him more than ever in the next few weeks. He knew he would have to tell Ginny about this too, so she could help.

But right now he had someone else in mind.

He slowly walked away from the warmth and laughter he called home. Away from everything he loved in the living world. He walked till he knew no one could find him. Then he turned the little black stone over in his hand.

And there they were. All of them. James, Lily, Snape, Sirius, Tonks, Remus, Dumbledore, Fred, Moody, Ted and Dobby.

"I thought you just told my son not to do this?" Remus said.

"Yeah," Tonks said.

"Hypocrite," Ted grumbled, on the same page as the other two.

"Harry Potter sir has grown so much!" Dobby squeaked.

"Wow, you look like James!" Sirius said.

"But he's older than I ever was," James said.

"Why am I here?" Snape asked.

"The same reason we all are," Lily said, "Harry called us."

"And why was that, boy?" Moody asked.

"I haven't the foggiest," Fred said.

"I think I know," Dumbledore said, reading Harry's face.

"A goodbye," Harry said, smiling at them all.

"Dobby doesn't know what Harry Potter means by that, sir."

"It means," Harry said, "there are a few things I think you would like to know and there are a few things I would like to tell you."

"Then fire away, boy," Moody said.

Harry spoke facing them all.

He told them of everything he thought they would want to know in the living world. Who married who, how many children they had. Everything.

"You named your kids after me?" Snape said.

"Yes," Harry said, "Though it is just one kid and it's only a middle name."

Snape relaxed. "I guess I can live with that then."

Lily laughed. "Live with that! You aren't living."

James laughed at the look on Snape's face.

Harry asked them if there was anything they wanted to know and answered all their questions.

"Now it is my turn," Harry said. "I would just like to say thank you."

"For what?"

"Absolutely everything," Harry said.

The looks that passed between them conveyed more emotion than words could express. Appreciation. Respect. Gratitude. Love. Loss.

Harry pulled his wand out of his robes with his right hand and pointed it at the stone in his left.

"Oh, just one more thing," Dumbledore said.

Harry looked up.

"What did you do with the elder wand?"

"I was going to keep it," Harry said, "And then if I died a natural death its power would have been broken. But once I chose to be an Auror I knew I couldn't count on that. And once it got around that I had the wand people started showing up to take it off me." He paused. "I destroyed it years ago."

"Good lad," Dumbledore said. "You are truly the master of the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter."

And with a smile on his face, Harry destroyed the resurrection stone forever.

* * *

**So now that you've read it do you see how miss leading the preivew was? huh... ^_^ **


	34. Order of Deaths and OC Bios

_**Order of Deaths and OC Bios**_

**The Wizard**

-name unknown

-killed by Voldemort himself

-first person to tell James he was in Limbo

-doesn't use Voldemorts name and asked James not to

-implied that he might be at least middle aged if not older

-believed wronging that Muggles whose souls have an inclination to wizards might come to Limbo

* * *

**Sohpie Abbot**

-old witch first to die after baby Harry's defeat of Voldemort

-has been to see the Potter's statue

-first to tell James and Lily of their son's defeat of Voldemort

-thought it was wonderful she had choices and admitted to being worried their wouldn't be an after life

-left promptly

* * *

**A String of unnamed people over ten years who were all impressed to see the Potters but couldn't tell the Potter much about their son**

* * *

**Quirrell**

* * *

**Two more years go by**

* * *

**An old wizard with a walking stick**

-name unknown

-surprised to hear Lily and James believed Sirius Black innocent

-left thinking they were crazy

* * *

**Bertha Jorkins**

* * *

**Frank Bryce**

* * *

**Barty Crouch Sr**

* * *

**Cedric Diggory**

* * *

**Prior Incatatum**

* * *

**Year of occasional unnamed witch or wizard who didn't know anything about Voldemort being back**

* * *

**Bode the Unspeakable**

* * *

**Simpering Witch**

-didn't believe Voldemort was back

-yelled at Cedric for being too young to be dead

-Cedric gave her a lecture and she left choosing to be a ghost

-shivers at the sound of Voldemorts name

-it is unknown why she wanted to be a ghost

* * *

**Sirius Black**

Then after a LOT of Sirius talking…

* * *

**Amelia Bones**

-not an OC but is a poorly developed one in the books

-was at Harry's hearing in books five and was impressed with his abilities to produce a corporeal Patronus

-also was the one to tell the Potter's that their sons Patronus was a stag

-fought bravely before being killed

-managed to beat the death eaters than was killed by Voldemort himself.

-was the one to apologize to Sirius on behalf of the Ministry of Magic… ~Sirius did not take it well

-before she leaves she tells the Potters all about Harry's hearing

* * *

**Emmeline Vance**

-not an OC but is a poorly developed one in the books

-didn't have much of a character in books

-just part of Harry's guard in book five

-I gave her the personality trait of not liking to make personal decisions

-doesn't react at all to Sirius hitting on her

-spent a while weighting pros and cons for her choices before going on

* * *

**Karkaroff**

* * *

**Tilly Abbot**

- not an OC but is a poorly developed one in the books

-all we knew about her was that she was Hannah Abbots mother

-recognized Sirius right away

-I created a death for her since all that happens in the books was Hannah being taken out of class and told her mother was dead

-she was killed walking down the street

-a death eater walked by her/she was in the wrong place at the wrong time

* * *

**Dean Montgumary**

- not an OC but is a poorly developed one in the books

-in the books his sisters look upset and Hermione tells Harry it is because their little brother was attached by a werewolf and died in the hospital/he was attached because his mother wouldn't do what the death eaters wanted her to

-he didn't have a first name in the books so I named him Dean and now I wish I hadn't since everyone keeps asking me why Dean Thomas died. Hello! Is Dean Thomas five years old?

-is upset when he first arrives because he remembers the great pain of his werewolf bits and is scared of being all alone

-he thinks his family vanished around him/they were all looking over his bed and then they weren't and he didn't understand why

-once he learns from Lily that his parents and family are fine, and that he is with people he cheers up

-becomes main character in my story/becomes very good friends with Lily and everyone

-becomes play mates with Dumbledore

-invents a game of making all the adults do silly things

* * *

**Gibbon**

* * *

**Dumbledore**

* * *

**Cedric goes on**

* * *

**Charity Burbage**

* * *

**Hedwig**

* * *

**Alastor Moody aka Mad-Eye Moody**

* * *

**Rufus Scrimgeour**

* * *

**Liese and her children**

- not an OC but is a poorly developed one in the books

-in the books there is a scene where Voldemort murders a German family while looking for the elder wand this is them

-I named her Liese but didn't name her children

-showed through her that in Limbo there are no language barrios

-her children played with Dean and Sirius for a while

* * *

**Gregovitch**

-a wand maker who is mentioned in the books to have made Cedric's wand

-was surprised to hear Dumbledore had the Elder wand

* * *

**Bathilda Bagshot**

-in the books it didn't say exactly when she died so I just choose to add her in here

-once arriving she admits to telling Rita Skeeter everything about Dumbledore

* * *

**Dumbledore writes his poem ^_^**

* * *

**Leise and her children went on**

* * *

**Gregovitch goes on**

* * *

**Bathilda Bagshot goes on after a long talk with Dumbledore**

* * *

**Series of Muggle-born deaths who were all unnamed arrive**

* * *

**Ted Tonks**

- not an OC but is not a big character in the books

-Tonks' dad and a muggle born

-Teddy Lupin named after him

-dies on the run from Muggle-born registration

-stays to learn his daughter and wife's fate

-becomes a main character in my story

* * *

**Dirk Cresswell**

- not an OC but is not a big character in the books

-dies with Ted Tonks while on the run

-is known to have sons and a wife

-decided to stay and learn what happened to his family

* * *

**Unnamed muggle born girl**

-was in safe house with Dirk's family but left to look for her own and was killed

-she is the one to tell Dirk all about his family

-and then she and Dirk go on together

* * *

**Peter Pettigrew**

* * *

**Gellert Grindelwald**

-not given any dialogue in book except his death scene

-back story of him and Dumbledore in Ritas book

-is implied he might be Dumbledore's only love

-was the second most evil wizard to ever exist

-but shows signs of remorse during his last years in prison

-I tried to convay that remorse in Limbo

* * *

**Dobby**

-not a wizard so shouldn't have come but since no other elves die free Dumbledore surmises that is why he comes to Limbo

* * *

**Peter Pettigrew goes on**

* * *

**Some unknown and unnamed people come and go over a period of a month**

* * *

**Dobby goes on**

* * *

**Grindelwald goes on with a heart breaking scream from his damaged soul**

* * *

**The battle of Hogwarts starts**

* * *

**Iona Mongunary**

-is technically a character in the books since it was the Mongunary sisters that Harry and Hermione saw upset over their little brother's attach but since I named her and gave her a personally you can call her my OC if you want

-Dean Mongunary's older sister

-dies fighting in the battle of Hogwarts

-is 17 when she dies

-believed whole heartily in the fight

-first thing she said after getting to Limbo was "Oh no, this means I am out of the fight"

-Dean calls has a nickname for her: her

-as he was learning to talk he noticed people refer to her as her and started calling her that

-know that being happy and free was more important than anything

* * *

**Theo**

-last name unknown

-is on friendly terms with Iona but that may just be because they found in the battle together

-died during the battle of Hogwarts only moments after Iona

* * *

**Crabbe**

* * *

**Fred Weasley**

* * *

**Remus Lupin**

-since there was no death scene in the books I made one up for him and Tonks

-he was fighting Dolohov alone while Tonks looked for him

* * *

**Nymphadora Tonks**

- since there was no death scene in the books I made one up for him and Tonks

-once she found Remus she started fighting near him while still being about to see him

-she started to win her fight when Dolohov killed Remus in front of her

-she either made to go to him or got distracted enough for whoever she was fighting to kill her only moments after Remus

-there is a chance that after seeing her husband killed she got herself killed on purpose where consciously or unconsciously

* * *

**While they were talking Limbo filled up with unnamed students who died in the battle, Colin Creevy being one of them**

* * *

**Now over fifty people in Limbo**

* * *

**Severus Snape**

* * *

**Harry uses his resurrection stone**

* * *

**Dumbledore meets Harry at Kings Cross Station**

-the way I did this was that Harry never really went to Limbo

-since he never died cause in Harry Potter land you can't bring people back to life

-he was just in a place in his mind while Dumbledore could talk to him from Limbo

-Dumbledore just saw the clouds of Limbo while Harry's mind created Kings cross station around him

-what they heard was the bleed through of the spell Dumbledore did/the same way Voldemort and Harry were knocked unconscious on earth was the bleed though there

* * *

**Voldemort's snake Nagini is killed by Neville**

* * *

**Unnamed Death Eater died and argues with Dumbledore**

* * *

**Dolohov**

-In the book it said that Dolohov falls with a scream at Flitwick's hand and I decided to take that as he died cause I really wanted him to die

-oh and Tonks whole ability to make him "never be whole again" was be wanting him to suffer but also I was going off her abilities as a Metamorphmagus

-the concept is that when she was on earth she could change her physical appearance but now that she is just a soul she can change both her soul and others

-and since it is Dumbledore who always says evil tarnishes the soul I thought it would work

* * *

**Fenrir Greyback**

-in the books it says that Harry saw "Ron and Neville bringing down Fenrir Greyback" and though I didn't want Ron and Neville to become killers I figured I would kill him off anyway

-maybe he hit his head on the way down or something

* * *

**Bellatrix**

* * *

**Tom Riddle**

* * *

**Iona goes on with Dean in her arms**

* * *

**Riddle tries and fails to be a ghost**

* * *

**Voldemort got some lectures and everyone chatted for a while**

* * *

**Theo and a large number of unnamed students go on**

* * *

**Jade Newin**

-the first officially all original character of mine in my story who has a name

-died of old age at 108 years old

-has kids and grandkids she knows will be fine without her

-was ready to die when it was her time

-is a HUGE gossip and very annoying

-named them all in terms of Harry's something. Harry's godson's birthmother; Harry's teacher; Harry's godfather; Harry's parents etc…

-knew all about Snape and his love for Lily

-very well informed on celebrities like the boy who lived and stuff

-worked very hard to get the people of Limbo to interact in an entertaining way while she was there

* * *

**Dolohov moves on with a scream far worse than Grindelwalds. The reasons for his moving on are unknown**

* * *

_Just for your information_

_~The remark Snape say about Sirius not being a very well written character isn't a remark about how bad a writer JK Rowling is or anything! Her writing is great! It was just something slightly mean but very funny that Snape can say to Sirius_

* * *

**Unnamed death eater leaves with slight scream**

* * *

**The rest of the death eaters were tricked into going on by Dumbledore**

* * *

**Dumbledore leaves with a swish of his cloak**

* * *

**Ted Tonks goes on**

* * *

**Fred goes on**

* * *

**Kool Kalvin**

-the second officially all original character of mine in my story who has a name

-says cool a lot

-is known that is was very old when he died because he talks about having smooth hands again

-was very mellow and wasn't surprised that he was dead or that he was in an in-between place like Limbo

-and yes I know Irish isn't a language, the first draft got published before I could replace it with Dutch

-Kalvin goes on and teaches Sirius life is always an unknown while doing so

* * *

**Lily, James, Sirius and Snape all leave standing side by side**

* * *

**Remus and Tonks are so dull that Jade goes on too**

* * *

**Philip Winterbotham**

-the third officially all original character of mine in this story who has a name

-died around 1286 and upon coming to Limbo decided to be a ghost and returned to earth

-is very old fashions due to the time he comes from

-doesn't know anything about Voldemort's reign of terror or the boy who lived except what he has heard in passing

-for the last half century of his ghost life Philip left England and went for a trip around the world

-this being the reason why he didn't know of Voldemort of Harry

-was about 713 when he reappeared in Limbo

-explained to Remus, Tonks and Riddle that the whole point of being a ghost was the same as Limbo: so the dead could deal with their unresolved issues and go on when they are ready

-was the one to explained to Riddle why he couldn't be a ghost

-after he finishes talking to them he goes on

* * *

**Riddle goes on and Remus and Tonks stay to wait for news of Teddy**


End file.
